Blood in the Stars
by phoenix catcher
Summary: Complete. Harry/OMC. Vampire:Harry. Set in Firefly Universe. After losing all of his old friends Harry is the last Vampire in existence and is known only in legends. Until the Central Planets begin to try to use his powers to create an army.
1. A History of Blood

Blood in the Stars

Chapter 1; A History of Blood

****

Extract from a History of Humanity - The flight - Censored text

In the early twenty-second century the peoples of Earth realised that within a few decades there would be no room in their limited solar system for further growth. Already the moon, Mars and Venus had been turned into human capable planets with terraforming but they were hitting a limit.

Things were falling apart. Controlling the population became almost impossible and factions were turning against those they viewed as freaks. A largest sub-section of humanity, the Wizards and Witches, were rounded into technically illegal camps and killed. The Government took the high road in the conflict but there was little it could do when the camps were normally run by their own military leaders.

The sub-groups fought back but only one was successful in surviving the complete extermination of their kind. A small group of born Vampires fled into hiding on Earth, hidden amongst the human masses. The resistances leader, famously known as Harry Potter-Ker Tal was a Vampire that had been subjugated by Wizards as a baby but returned to his true parents, the Rulers of the Vampire nation (killed in 2118). By 2126 no Vampire could be found and the humans began to war against each other, finding new flaws to justify their purge until the Military built a fleet of multi-generation transports to send their race into the surrounding solar systems.

Evidence suggests that Harry Potter-Ker Tal managed to slip off of Earth with other Vampires onto the new ships. Several others were caught and killed on the fleet ships but again there are no reports of sightings of the famous resistance leader.

Somehow the name Ker Tal has been documented throughout the generations as the human race spread throughout the new solar system and its hundreds of terraformed worlds. Does Harry Potter-Ker Tal still exist beyond all odds and is he a single Vampire amongst six billion humans?

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

2511 - Unification War

Harry walked through the dark corridors of the _Prism_ with loud footsteps. It had been his ship for fifteen years now, ever since he had brought it straight out of the military with a small bribe against an Alliance official. It was a cargo ship but it was heavily armed, capable of defending against the numerous pirates or Reavers that lingered amongst the outer planets.

He walked into his bridge and stared at the few people there. It was the first example in a long time that he had taken an active role in the Unification War. The central Alliance had struck out into the outer planets to replace their control there and the rebels, the Browncoats, had resisted them. And were failing.

He had a few friends within the Browncoats including the leader of the local resistance, Nigel Billington, who had begged for his help when the Alliance forces had laid siege to one of the rural planets trapping a battalion of Browncoats there and they were slowly dieing of attrition. The rebellion's leaders had already capitulated but the ground troops could not retreat so easily.

Harry, for once, had answered the call and now his three person crew were eyeing him with their normal cold expression, though they weren't directed at him. His Engineer sat at the controls of the ship guiding it towards the small planet in question. Alex glanced back at him and offered him the controls which Harry, as one of the best pilots in the solar system, took. He adjusted to the feel of the ship with expert practice using all of his hidden Vampire senses to guide his flight, not that any of his crew knew what he was.

Alex joined the other two in the other seats. Michelle was his weapons officer who had a rather morbid sense of humour which matched Harry's own. His Navigation officer and part time medic, Peter, fed him coordinates for him to aim at and he guided the ship down through the atmosphere carefully letting the heat flare against the ships sides.

As soon as the air cleared Harry changed course again. The sky was filled with smoke trails that had been blown into chaos. Some were engine trails of inner-atmosphere transports, others were missile tracks. Smoke rose from the surface in all directions but the most recent was coming from the south, right where they were destined to go.

Harry threw the boosters to full power and the Hammer-class ship lurched forwards throwing them all into the backs of their seats. He flew low over the ground to avoid being sighted visually but he knew he'd be very lucky not to be spotted on the sensors of the numerous Alliance ships flying through the area dropping off troops. He burst over the mountains and spied a landed Alliance troop ship, the one stolen and captained by Nigel Billington himself. The bottom of the valley was filled with Alliance activity except for the small town around Billington's ship where the Browncoats were retreating from their final lost battle.

Harry had the element of surprise though since he was flying a ship shaped exactly like the military cargo ships but it didn't take them long to realise that the custom grey colour was missing from the black and red ship. He banked the ship to avoid a salvo of flak fire and rolled it to avoid a hastily launched missile before dropping the ship down right on top of the Browncoats trying to defend the town so that they could evacuate.

The ship had two sections, both much flatter than they were wide. A small thinner section joined the two and made it look less bulky. The front was wide and curved forwards with a blunt nose. It looked from the top like a rectangle with a curved end and soft corners.

They fled the area next to the troop ship and Harry set the ship down after firing a volley of floating tracers that would attract missiles from the cooling engines of the ship. "Let's find ourselves some guests." Harry told them all. They stood and walked down through the ship to the cargo bay in the rear where Alex hit the cargo bay's lights to darken the doors as he hit the release and the back doors opened on lower hinges to form a ramp up into the room. "Alex, Peter. See to our guests. Michelle, lock and load."

Harry walked down the ramp and whistled loudly to gain a nearby Captains attention, he signalled for them to load up and the Captain started shouting orders. Harry glanced to the right where the troopship's cargo ramp sat open. A missile exploded over their heads and a volley of weapons blasts rocketed over their heads. Harry heard the sharp cracks of bullets in answer and smirked across at Nigel Billington as he called out.

"Harry, my old friend. You shock an old man's heart." He greeted and they clasped arms.

"I regret that your cause could not bare fruit, friend." Harry told him. "Wars are none of my business but I would not see the last of these good men die here in a massacre. They must live to pass their tales on to their children. To give future generations hope."

Nigel grinned at him. "Your words are the same as they first time we met and they still inspire me to do great deeds. Foolish deeds but great all the same." Harry chuckled.

"Let's get this show on the road." Harry turned on his heel. "See you in the outlands."

Nigel yelled loudly for the last to load up and Harry swept back onto his own ship. He eyed the wounded men as he walked through the cargo bay. Their healthier brothers-in-arms guarded the ramp and forced more people passed them. They broke apart to let him through. A young man stumbled through the crowd firing at approaching Alliance troopers and Harry caught his shoulders to steady him. He stared at the man in his early twenties before moving around him and his female friend.

He made his way through the ship to the control room and brought the engines to standby knowing that it would warn Alex to get them all inside and the doors closed. "Are you going to get that hunk of junk off the ground any time soon, Nigel, or am I going to have to lift you off on my shoulders?"

He got a dull chuckle in response before the supposedly older man's voice came through the bridges speakers. _"Have you seen that flak up there!?"_ He asked incredulously. _"We'll be lucky to get clear before we're ripped to shreds!"_

"Then we'll go down fighting." Harry told him before hitting the internal communications. "Lock it down, this is going to be rough. Michelle get up here and start turning those purple bellies into dust!"

He heard cheers from the cargo bay. _"We're all locked up and ready to go boss."_ Alex told him over the intercom.

Harry throttled the engine and lifted the ship from the ground. He hung low to encase the landing struts but didn't linger any longer than necessary since he could already feel shots hitting the hull. A missile impacted his last decoy just as Michelle ran into the room and leapt into one of the weapons chairs. The young man from before followed her up and leapt into the other with practiced ease. His female friend lurked at his shoulder, they were obviously friends.

Harry boosted the engines and saw that the _Paladin_, Nigel's ship, was doing the same. He forced the engines into a whining full power and the ship began to climb with agonising slowness loaded as it was. The Paladin fell in in front and to the right of him. Flak erupted around them and the ship began to shudder violently as concussion waves tried to rock it from its course. The _Paladin_ lurched violently as a flak shell exploded against its engines. A stream of smoke erupted from the port engine as it caught fire.

"Damn it!" Harry swore as his own ship rocked violently as a flak shell exploded in front of them. "This is going to get very rough."

"It'll never make orbit with only two engines!" The young man swore from behind him.

A missile flew up from below them and time seemed to slow as it smacked straight into the bridge of the _Paladin._ Harry's growled as the ship went crazy, like a body without its head. The front exploded tearing the ship in half and Harry lurched the ship to the left, throwing all of his guests around as the carcass of the _Paladin_ cut in front of him.

It exploded soon after Harry passed it and Harry rolled the ship to protect the bridge windows from the concussive wave that sent him off course. He snarled before checking his readouts. He had the necessary velocity for successful exit. He twisted the ship into an awkward turn to throw off tracing missiles and rocketed up into orbit. As soon as he had safely set the ship on course Alex came into the room with reports that everything was working properly and Harry left him to watch the ship's con.

"Thank you for your help." Harry turned to the young man.

"You're the one that saved our arses. That flying was incredible!" The man told him. "I don't think I've ever seen you or your ship in one of our battles before."

"Was that a question?" Michelle snorted.

"Uh…yes." He told them both as his female friend came up at his shoulder.

"I don't normally take part in the battles but Nigel is…was…an old friend of mine and asked for my help." Harry told them. "I'm afraid this is the last battle in this war. I suggest you find yourself a new vocation."

His eyes narrowed but he gazed out of the window probably remembering the view of the _Paladin_ exploding. "Thank you for helping." He told Harry. "My name's Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds. This is Zoe Alleyne."

"I take it you've already met Michelle, my weapons officer. Alex and Peter are downstairs, they are the only crew I need. My name is Harry Ker-Tal." Harry told him not worried about the name being familiar since so few even knew the myths behind the name and nobody ever took them seriously.

"Unfortunate name." He pointed out with a chuckle and a glint to his eyes. "Named after the Vampire."

"Perhaps." Harry didn't smile. "It's rare to come across somebody who knows the stories."

"I had an old Sergeant who told me about them." Mal shrugged. "I'm still not sure if he believed them."

"Well I don't." Harry told him bluntly and Michelle snorted since it was the only thing he ever said on the matter.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

2517 - On route to central planets

Harry stared up at the ceiling in his cabin. It was rather bare except for a few photos around the place of himself with his current crew. He'd been friends with them for many years now and once they were all gone then he'd float around on his own again for a time and inevitably find new friends to add to the multitude he had known over the five hundred and twenty years he had been a Vampire.

The only old photo he had was a holo-image of the last known Vampire, Darren McKenzie, killed by firing squad almost a century ago. He'd been Harry last friend from Earth when they'd snuck onboard one of the transport ships and had been his partner for four centuries. It had taken Harry a long time to get over the other man but he'd decided to just put it beside him and focus his energies on anything that hurt the Alliance. He kept the holo-pic to remember all of his old friends especially the five that had made it into the new system and just for that reason he had the holo-file backed up in a dozen different places.

"You listening to this crap again?" Alex blurted as he opened Harry's cabin door. Harry eyed his Engineer.

"This 'crap' is seven hundred years old. It's a masterpiece." Harry informed Alex for the hundredth time while closing his eyes for a moment to listen to Beethoven 'Moonlight' Sonata.

"It's…old." The twenty five year old pointed out.

Harry decided not to comment. His entire crew ranged from twenty five to thirty and they all believed Harry to be around that age. Michelle was twenty eight and Peter was thirty. "Did you need something more important then insulting something older than space flight?" Hell Harry was older than space flight.

"We've got a ship coming up on long range scanners, it'll be an hour before we can get a good enough look to work out what it is." Alex told him. "But Michelle thought you'd want to know in advance."

"I'll have a quick shower and be up in a short while." Harry told him uncaringly. Being this close to the Central Planets made it highly unlikely to be a pirate. Alex left him and Harry turned up the music to listen to the rest of it beat after beat all soothing his senses that were driven mad by the emptiness of space. It didn't help that he really needed to feed. Four weeks really was his maximum and he hadn't been able to get away at their last stop to find a victim. At least on the Central Planets he wouldn't have to worry about covering his tracks. He could just kill his victim and remove all trace of the attack.

The piece finished with two final chords and Harry hit the remote to cut the music players power before heading for a nice hot shower to further sooth his tense muscles. He was still rather damp when he arrived at the Bridge to find Alex and Michelle playing cards over the console. He didn't interrupt but simply leaned over Alex to reach the scanner's readout. He found the direction and looked up out of the window. Stars filled his vision. One directly ahead was slightly larger then the surrounding ones and was clearly their planetary destination to Harry's advanced eyes. A small light on their starboard side, right where the scanner was directing him to, was obviously a ship, though it was only a small dull star to Harry's eyes. He glanced back down at the energy readouts for the small ship and studied them for a moment. Long Range scanners use the incoming light from stars to pick up distortions in gravity caused by the Gravity-Drives of ships and Harry knew each one had a difficult pattern depending on size.

"That's an Alliance Scout." Harry announced with certainty. It made sense that it would be out here.

"How do you know that?" Michelle sighed.

"How does he always know that?" Alex retorted. Neither really expected an answer.

"Imaging and radar should be able to verify that in about ten minutes." Harry told them. The more accurate systems were unfortunately shorter range. "They'll undoubtedly want to waste our time making us stop and lose speed and other such nonsense. Make a sweep. You know the drill."

"Alright Boss." Michelle.

"Right." Alex nodded and the two cleared away their cards and retreated from the Bridge. The ship had seven small voids which were specially shielded to prevent scans. Four of them were large enough for people whilst the other three were only just large enough for a small package or two. Smugglers holes but Alliance troops could easily spend a week searching for them and never find them. Harry had been doing this sort of thing for as long as Space Smuggling had been around. He trusted the others to be able to know what needed hiding and what didn't.

Harry waited out the time with his feet on the control console picturing sucking the blood from the captain of the little scout ship that would want to waste his time. Some stuck up little brat undoubtedly. They always were. As soon as they were in range Harry activated the Radar and the scout ship appeared instantly as the pulse was returned to the ship. Harry directed the Imaging scanner on the Scout ship and was proven right. The ten metre long ship would be dwarfed by the fifty-two metre long, eleven metre tall and eighteen metre wide _Prism._ The little thing, that looked something like a scarab beetle to Harry, would probably fit in his Cargo bay with room to spare.

They could go to hell if they thought they were going to though. The bay was full of legitimate cargo and he wasn't trusting some rug-rat out of Alliance Academy to not scratch up his ship. Letting them attach an air lock was bad enough. The console beeped at him and Harry sat up straighter in his chair as he accepted the broad-beamed 'public' communication. A young, twenty year old, man appeared on his screen.

"Identify yourself and send us your verification codes and projected course." The man told him without even waiting to focus on Harry.

Harry rolled his eyes discreetly before tapping his console to send the _Prism's_ ownership details, his own pilot's licence, or at least the latest one and also his cargo-fleet status that permitted him to bring goods between worlds. "This is the Cargo ship, _Prism,_ owned and captained by Harry Ker Tal. On route to the planet Londinium with goods."

The man glanced down at his own screens though he obviously wasn't doing any of the work. The scout ships were manned by three people, one new officer and two crewmen and chances were the crewmen were doing all the actual work. "What was your point of origin?"

"Newhall." Harry told him since that was where he had actually picked up the cargo. He'd made two stops on the way but his trajectory still lined up with it assuming he stopped for supplies along the way.

"Very well. Come to a full stop and prepare to accept an air dock." The man told him.

"You know very well it doesn't work like that, kid." Harry snapped annoyed at his rudeness. "I've traded with the Central Worlds for ten years and I wont allow boarders without a warrant and your own verification codes." He would wait before refusing to come to a full stop until he saw the type of warrant the Scout held. Only the large ships held 'stand and show' warrants.

The man's eyes narrowed and his face went slightly red in anger but he gestured to one of his crew members. Two seconds later a data stream came to the _Prism's_ console. Harry took his time looking over the officer's name; Lieutenant Migiala, fresh from academy by the looks of it. He then checked the verification codes against his own database of current Alliance ships to prove it wasn't a scam by pirates and then finally brought up the warrant. A code D warrant.

"Are you satisfied, Mr Ker Tal?" Migiala snapped purposely ignoring Harry's Captain status proved by his pilot's license and ownership of a cargo-fleet statused ship.

Harry gave him a stare. "This isn't a 'stand and show' warrant. I shall happily welcome you on my ship but I will not reduce speed. We've been in space for a week now and I won't put my engines through an acceleration routine again."

Migiala glared again but he couldn't do anything else and the comm. link went dead. Harry's imagination provided him with vivid images of the scout ship opening fire against him and his hand actually hovered over the automated defence turrets for a while until he reminded himself that no mouse would be stupid enough to attack a cat and that was exactly what they had here. The scout ship didn't even have a tenth of Harry's fire power and that was only taking into account Harry's legitimate weaponry.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Two hours later

The two ships had cut a quarter from the _Prism's_ journey by the time they split apart. Lieutenant Migiala had been pissed off the whole trip since this small detour would gain him four hours in his route since he would have to return to the exact place that they had met up before continuing. Harry had relied on that fact since it would make the Lieutenant eager to finish and less likely to waste more time.

Harry felt the grind of the Scout ship leaving the top of his ship and winced along with Michelle, Alex and Peter as they imagined the scratches to the paintwork that they'd have to touch up.

"Damn sods." Alex grumbled.

"No argument there." Peter nodded.

"At least the brat didn't waste any time." Michelle pointed out logically. "Boss?"

Harry looked up from his watch at them. "What?"

"You alright?" She asked.

"Yeah," Harry told her, he really needed a drink though it wasn't a survival issue yet. "Get the Kaglia back into the fridge or it'll go off."

"I know we've asked this before but why _are_ we doing a drug run?" Peter asked. As a medic he didn't like the idea of hallucinogens like Kaglia and as a rule Harry didn't smuggle anything like it.

"For the normal reason." Harry told them. "Someone has something I want."

"What?" Alex asked.

"Something for my little baby." Harry grinned a sappy smile as he stroked the wall tenderly. "The good thing is that once we've got it the ship needs to put down for two weeks."

"Time off?" Alex grinned.

"Yes, Alex, time off." Harry rolled his eyes. He'd known this team for ten years now. Peter and Michelle had been twenty and eighteen respectfully with experience on cargo ships though limited as that was. Alex had been a fifteen year old newly made orphan that Harry had rescued when Alliance troopers killed his parents for little to no reason. Alex was the only one in a hundred years apart from his victims to see him feed but his mind had been too traumatised to readily remember it.

"We'll be there in six hours." Peter put in to wipe the grin off of Alex's face.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

****

Six hours later

Harry slowly hovered the ship as he waited for the iris closing off his allotted cargo bay to swivel open. As soon as it was clear he lowered the ship down into the bay and let the eight landing struts take the weight before setting them as low as possible and letting the hull of the ship settled on the metal ground of the bay. He lifted the catch over the engine shut off and thumbed the button and heard silence as the Gravity-Drive and atmospheric boosters shut down.

He spun his seat to face his three crew members. "Peter, Michelle, you're coming with me. Only bring what you can conceal. Peter can grab the less than legal goods." Harry received nods from the two and turned to Alex. "See to it that the systems are purged and purified. Unload the legit goods. I'll get somebody from Jacoby's to come collect them with a note from me. Get us refuelled too." Harry told him and flipped him the credit chit that would let the docks crew charge him for the fuel needed.

It only took them five minutes to prepare to go since Harry, Peter and Michelle were all already wearing the weapons they planned to take. In Harry's case he was wearing a long black trench coat that was worn out just like he liked them to be. It concealed a energy pistol that he favoured and numerous knives that wouldn't be found if he was searched.

The other two were wearing leather jackets and rimmed caps that they favoured from their homeworld and Harry was satisfied that he couldn't see their weapons. They left the docks where the local dockmen were already linking fuel tubes to the _Prism_ and Alex was supervising their supply of cobalt being unloaded from the cargo bay and into one of the nearby storage areas.

They spent two hours doing everything that they needed, first stopping by Jacoby's traders to sell the cobalt that they brought and arranging for its collection and then went to a more private client to sell the Kaglia for the new piece of equipment that Harry wanted. A Dissimulator designed to muck up scanners in two ways. It bent the way that long range scanners picked up the Gravity fluctuations helping to hide the ship from long range scanners and also making it almost impossible to determine the type of ship. It also refracted radar waves and played with imaging scanners to provide shadows that made it impossible to 'see' the ship short range.

It could also be switched to a less obvious mode to hide the nature of the ship by making it look like any other ship from a navigation buoy to an Alliance Cruiser or even anything with a gravity field like an asteroid. Well worth temporarily forgetting his morals.

Peter and Michelle were dutifully impressed by the acquisition since it would have probably cost anybody else the value of the _Prism_ since it was a brand new piece of equipment that not even all of the Alliance ships had. In basic terms it was a leaf strewn hat on the head of a hiding soldier.

After seeing the Dissimulator back to the _Prism _with instructions for its safe stowage the three headed to the pub that they always visited here to get food and drinks for themselves and then something to take back to Alex. It was here that things started to go wrong.

They were sitting around a small table in the corner of the room when an Alliance Captain walked into the room with no fewer then ten Alliance Troopers armed to the teeth. Harry, Peter and Michelle instantly had their guns out under the table and ready to use and that was before Harry recognised the man and was recognised in turn.

"That's him, take him!" Captain Vortal snapped pointing at Harry. Harry had been on the wrong end of the Captain's gun several times and always escaped but he'd never been on the wrong end of so many guns with his friends beside him too. Well there was that time when Peter had hit on the wife of a local crime lord but that had been fun more than dangerous.

"I don't think so." Harry stood fluidly and levelled his gun at the Captain's head. The Troopers came up short at the unexpected opposition. "I can kill you before any of your men get a shot off and you know it."

Michelle and Peter were at his sides with their own pistols drawn. They both had Alliance standard energy pistols rather than the bullet firing ones that the Independent worlds normally used and both pistols were pointed at the Captain unwaveringly. "What did you do?" Michelle asked out of the corner of her mouth.

"Killed his son." Harry told her bluntly but only loud enough for her and Peter to hear. "He was raping a fourteen year old girl at the time so I figured the dear Captain wouldn't mind. Evidently I was wrong."

"Figures." Peter grumbled. Things turned to chaos after the barman drew his own weapon and aimed it at the nearest person who happened to be one of the troopers who turned and shot the man without question. The other troopers, some confused at what was happening opened fire on their opposition only to find them gone. As soon as the barman had lifted his own gun and fired, Harry, Peter and Michelle had dived for cover.

Harry killed two of the troopers without a thought as he dived behind a stall wall though the wood didn't give him much protection from the incoming blasts. Michelle rolled up next to him and gave him a grin but he didn't know where Peter was. The both dodged up and fired as their cover was destroyed and took down a few more of the troopers. The next few minutes blurred to Harry as he used all of his advanced Vampire senses to target, kill and evade becoming a blur to everyone there. His world came to a brief standstill though when Vortal appeared from the crowd of fleeing civilians.

Harry yelled out a warning and took the shot but it was too late. Harry's blast tore through the man's neck but his own blast struck Peter square in the back blasting a hole out of his chest cavity. Harry's eyes went black for the first time in many years and he grabbed at the nearest trooper and snapped his neck before jumping forwards.

Michelle beat him there though and was crouching over Peter when she too was hit by one of the last two Troopers. Harry took a hit to his shoulder and blood soaked his arm and the floor beside his two friends. Harry shot the two dead before holstering the gun and grabbing at Michelle's lifeless hand. The shot had hit her in the small of her back severing her spine and burning up her lungs and heart in the process. Harry kissed them both on the forehead before closing their eyes.

He knew he couldn't waste any time and hefted the two unwilling to leave them behind to be buried with all dishonour. He spat on Captain Vortal's body as he carried both bodies out into the back alley and took the shortest short cut that he knew through the city to the space port and to his own ship.

He got many an odd look but he didn't care and with his show of carrying two dead bodies and having solid black eyes they didn't try to stop him or even report him. He arrived at the space port and his own dock in only fifteen minutes and after knocking out the two dockmen still there he walked up into the _Prism_ to find a very unwelcome sight, though not as bad as the two bodies in his arms.

He placed Michelle and Peter against the ramp before slipping into the shadows. The three Troopers didn't see him or hear him as he slipped up into the second floor walkways. They'd obviously arrived at the same time that Vortal had tried to arrest them twenty minutes ago and they were holding Alex at gun point. Whether this was a way of commandeering the ship of a convict or as leverage in case Harry escaped again he didn't know but all he knew was that two of them were pointing guns at the only crew he had left. Harry dropped from the walkways and shocked the two watching Alex by appearing between them and their charge.

Alex cried out in shock but that was nothing to the horror on the two troopers' faces when they saw his solid black eyes and fanged teeth leering at them. Harry jumped forwards and disarmed them both before breaking their necks with practiced ease. The Lieutenant charged with watching them turned with a pale face to stare at Harry. His gun came up rather belatedly to point at Harry but by the time he tried to fire Harry had the gun pointing at the floor in the man's newly broken hand. Harry pushed the man's head to the side and bit into his neck.

It only took a few minutes of drinking to completely drain him of blood and his lifeless body hit the deck with a solid thump. Harry breathed deeply for a few seconds feeling his shoulder heal over without a scratch. He forced his eyes back to their emerald colour and slowly turned to face the very pale and shaking form of his Engineer.

"Alex?" Harry asked but got no response. Alex was staring at the Lieutenant now staring up at the ceiling with horror etched on his face. "Alex, please look at me. I'm not going to hurt you."

Alex slowly forced his gaze up to Harry and his eyes widened. "Harry?"

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Harry told him quietly. He took a step towards Alex but the man backed up a step until his back hit the wall. Harry took a step backwards so that Alex didn't feel trapped. "I'd never hurt you, you know that. I'm not different now then I was when you talked to me this morning in my room. Do you think I could hurt you?"

Alex stared at him but finally the words got through to him. He shook his head. "You'd never hurt me."

Harry smiled. "Do you know what I am?"

"It's not a myth. You always said you didn't believe in the Myths." Alex opened and shut his mouth a few times. "You're a Vampire. _The _Vampire. Harry Potter-Ker Tal!"

"That's the name unfortunately." Harry sighed. "But I was Harry Ker Tal when I took you in and nothings change just because you had to see that."

"You have to drink blood?" Alex gulped and Harry could see that the man wanted to pull up his collar. Harry took the opportunity to lighten the mood by stepping forwards and did just that. He pulled Alex's collar up before stepping back with a small grin on his face.

"About two pints every four weeks though normally I kill my victim." Harry told him. "I don't like leaving witnesses behind and I never target good people. These Troopers really pissed me off."

Harry eyes darkened and he kicked the nearest Trooper in the head. "What happened?" Alex gasped suddenly. "Where are Michelle and Peter?"

"We were attacked in the pub. They killed them both." Harry strolled across the cargo bay and hefted his two friends' bodies and brought them fully into the bay. "I give us five minutes before they send a team here to find us and I want to be gone by then. Is the ship ready to go."

"Yeah." Alex's voice broke and tears began to creep down his cheeks. He sagged down onto the floor beside Michelle. When Harry had taken in and more or less adopted Alex he had become a father to him. Michelle had easily become a sister to the only child and Peter had become an Uncle. With Michelle and Peter's deaths he'd lost his family for the second time.

Harry walked to the ramp and hit the door control to close and seal the cargo bay to let Alex have a moment with the two. He didn't give him long though and scooped Alex up and hugged him tightly as he arrived back ten seconds later. Alex clung to him for a few moments before Harry pulled back. "We can mourn them later. Right now we have to get away from here. Did the equipment arrive?"

Alex nodded. "It's in the side bay." Meaning one of the large hidden compartments. Alex had obviously realised straight away that it was illegal.

"Come on, we can put them on ice later." Harry grabbed Alex's arm and guided the crying man up to the Bridge and down into one of the weapons control seats. "As soon as we're clear I want you to launch a mine right into the office there." Harry pointed at the reinforced room that controlled the dock and its records. "I don't want them to know who we were and I doubt they've filed the paperwork yet."

"I can do that." Alex set himself to the task with a determined expression. "I'll set the timer for ten seconds."

The explosion would be massive and Harry found himself hoping that the Troopers would arrive in time to feel the full weight of the explosion. He powered the engines and lifted the ship off the ground with practiced ease. An alarm warned him that he was still attached to dockside power and the fuelling pipes and he smirked and looked over his shoulder at Alex who got a nasty glint in his eye and punched up the hull gattling cannons. In their defence the pipes and cables could only be released from the control room and it was unmanned and locked.

The leads weren't actually strong enough to hold the ship in place but tearing them off would only damage his hull. They both worked by magnetic locking so when the Gattling gun tore through them the locks released and the cut ends fell lifelessly to the ground. The other ends however went wild as they were released. The hot bullets ignited the fuel pipe and burning fuel began leaking across the dock. The electrical cable simple added to the calamity. Harry banked the ship up but paused just long enough for Alex to launch a Mine clear through the window of the control room. Normally the mines were launched from the ship a short distance into space so they didn't attract themselves to their own ship and that initial burst was enough to send it through the reinforced glass. Private ships and Commercial cargo vessels weren't allowed them and it was illegal for Harry to have an arsenal of them but they were useful for destroying pursuing ships.

Harry threw the ship to full power and both occupants were pressed back into their seats as they took off. Harry timed it right and just when the control centre should have contacted him the mine went off with a blast that took out the entire space port and shut down communications and power all through the area, incidentally killing the only centre that could register Harry's departure.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	2. Deception

Blood in the Stars

Chapter 2; Burying Friends

**Prism - seven days later**

Harry stood next to the closed door of Alex's room as he heard the sound of the young man trying to get comfortable again. Harry had awoken yet again to the sounds of the man's cries and even screams even through two bulkheads. One of the curses of his Vampiric hearing. Alex had been having nightmares ever since they had left Londinium. It had been so long since his friend had had any type of nightmare that Harry had almost barged into his room thinking he was under attack.

Harry could guess what he was dreaming about. Vampires, and that was why he wasn't coming to Harry for help like he had ten years ago though the relationship, up until the truth had come out, had remained unchanged over those years. He dream of Vampires and death for no more than half an hour before waking up screaming and shaking. He'd blunder about trying to calm himself before forcing himself into a stupor induced by so many days without proper sleep.

When his family had been murdered at the ages of fifteen he had suffered from nightmares for an entire year over the events and Harry knew that he had been plagued by the odd image of Harry as a Vampire though he had always thought it a hallucination of some kind. Alex would always find himself crawling into either Harry, Michelle's or Peter's bed, most often Harry's.

This time though, Harry wasn't sure if he could help. If Alex was having nightmares about Harry's true nature then sharing a bed with him wouldn't be high on his priorities list. To counter this Harry had done the only thing possible, he's constantly forgotten to wake Alex for shifts and messed with his room's computer to stop it waking him at the right time. The more rest he got the better he'd be for it.

Harry listened at the door, like he had ninety percent of the time since they'd left Londinium, until Alex was quiet again before he returned to his room, shut off the light, shut the door and headed down the passageways to the Bridge leaving the doors open on the way so he would be able to hear Alex easier if he awoke. He switched on some classical music when he was in the Bridge and settled into the pilots seat to run some diagnostics with half his mind as he tried to figure out what to do.

If Alex didn't either come to Harry for help or settle it himself then he'd have to find a place for Alex to go. Alex had refused such offers before wanting to stay with Harry but now that the situation had changed he wondered if Alex would be the one asking to change ship. Harry tapped through his records trying to find one of his friends that fit the bill and that Harry knew would look after Alex.

It was almost an hour and another fit of whimpering from the corridors behind him when he heard the padding of feet and he turned around as Alex paused in the doorway looking rather nervous. Harry didn't stand knowing if Alex was scared of him it would only make it worse. "Alex, do you want to talk?"

Alex looked down at his feet but shook his head in the negative. Harry sighed and turned the chair back to the console. "Alex? Do I scare you? Is that the problem?"

"What?" Alex's voice was rough from seven days of no sleep and little talking.

"I know you're having nightmares about me and I know that's why you haven't come to me for help." Harry sighed and looked at Alex in the reflection in the Bridge windows.

"I…"

"It's ok Alex. I don't blame you. Everyone is scared of me, that's why I never tell people." Harry sighed and flipped his console off. He stood and slowly turned to try to meet Alex's eyes but Alex continued to stare at the metal decking. "I do scare you don't I? I'm sorry, Alex."

"I…"

"It's fine. Once we're in port I'll try to find a friend of mine I trust to look after you." Harry sighed feeling sadder then he had in so many years. Alex obviously heard him and his head snapped up and pain at hurting Harry flooded his face.

"You want to get rid of me?" The rather insecure twenty-five year old asked.

"I don't, Alex, but face it, you don't trust me around you anymore. You've been having worse nightmares than you had ten years ago but you won't try to pass the night with me like you used to even though you know I would let you." Harry paused and rubbed at his head in frustration. "If you don't get over the nightmares soon you'll only kill yourself and I couldn't let that happen."

"It's just things are strange now. I keep dreaming about you attacking them and now I know what happened when my parents died I can't get it out of my head." Alex's voice caught and Harry knew he was having trouble controlling his breathing.

"Then why didn't you come to me like you used to."

"I have to see you in a different light now." Alex admitted. "I don't want to leave but I'm just me."

"Just you is more than I'd have if you left." Harry told him seriously before taking a step forwards to bring him within arms reach of Alex. "I'm no different then I was before. Just because you now know I'm a Vampire doesn't mean I care about you any differently."

Harry lifted his hands palms up like he used to when Alex slipped into his room at night and Alex caught the motions. Harry used to always make sure he sat up to show he didn't mind the disturbance and he wanted Alex to know that he didn't have a problem with it now.

"I need to sleep." Alex said as much to himself as to Harry.

"Will you feel safe with me? Will the nightmares come regardless if they are about me?" Harry asked honestly.

"I don't know." Alex said. "I love you like my father. I have to try to get over it."

"Come on, let's go get some sleep. With you waking up every half an hour neither of us have had any sleep and we arrive on Shar-bank in two days." Harry told him and reached out that last few inches to lightly grip Alex's hands in his own. Alex was hot with a slight fever and the warmth sent Harry's Vampiric blood boiling. All Vampires liked the heat of another body whether it was intimate of through friendship or family. It was just part of their nature. It was what made them long for friendships, packs and covens in ages passed. Harry led Alex back through the ship to his own rooms and stripped down to his boxers and then waited patiently for Alex to do the same knowing that Alex would settle better when he could actually feel Harry's body against his own like a security blanket for a child.

Harry lay down and waited for Alex to lay down and turn away from Harry. Harry rolled towards Alex and pulled him backwards against his chest. Alex tensed but then relaxed as Harry hit the light switch above his head and the room went pitch black even to Harry's Vampiric eyesight. Alex tensed again but Harry soothed him by running his fingers over the skin of his lower rib cage slowly. Alex struggled for a moment and rolled around to face Harry and snuggled up against him with his head tucked against Harry's chest. Harry hugged him tightly as Alex hugged him back.

"I'm not scared of _you_!" Alex declared and squeezed Harry to him like he had when he was younger.

"You'll never be in any danger when you're with me, Alex. I promise you that with ever fibre of my being." Harry whispered before placing a loving kiss on the top of his short brown hair. "Sleep and know that I'm protecting you."

Alex was asleep before he could formulate a response and Harry let himself listen to Alex's calm heart beat until he fell asleep too.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry let Alex sleep for most of the next day to regain his strength and happily set about checking every inch of his ship for things that he needed to get done when they were in Shar-bank tomorrow afternoon. He made sure everything was stowed away and he let his almost perfect memory remember exactly what he had and where it was in case somebody stole from it, though on Shar-bank none tried that unless they were really desperate or else just stupid.

He and Alex spent most of that day playing cards and lounging about in the crew recreational room which doubled as the kitchen. He knew that Alex was saving his distress over Michelle and Peter until later but Harry used their last evening in space and isolation to tease the reaction from him and once again they spent the night in the same bed as Alex cried himself to sleep curled up with Harry. Alex could act very mature whenever in the public eye but he was a very emotionally attached person and had been even with his parents. Their subsequent death had turned him into a much colder person when around strangers but with Harry his guard always lowered and he always poured his heart out to him about everything from girl troubles to more personal troubles like when Harry had walked into his room to find him masturbating to a snap shot of a sweetheart of his. Harry loved Alex like a son but knew that Alex viewed him more as his best friend, confidant and anything else that he needed including, and more often, his teddy bear.

When they were finally in sight of the yellow, green, brown and occasionally blue planet Harry sighed with relief. It wasn't a nice planet to visit if you didn't belong there but Harry had spent most of his life with this planet as his home-port and Michelle and Peter's families lived here making it their home-port too. There was a decent dockyard in what could be called the capitol city and Harry liked the owner since he never blinked at any odd work that needed doing as long as payment was forthcoming but he was also loyal to his word and wouldn't be stingy on high quality materials and good workmanship.

The planet seemed almost striped with colours but the main colour was brown from the vast swamps that separated the yellow deserts around the equator from the rainforests of the more humid regions. The city was placed bordering a desert and swamp and across a wide river that made fresh water abundant for the settlers there five hundred or more years ago. Michelle and Peter's families both lived in a small community about two hundred miles into the desert further up the river from the city and the place had always struck Harry as being rather desolate though he could imagine living there if it wasn't for the long journey needed to feed in cities.

That was the other reason he liked the city of Shar-bank. It had plenty of travellers, most often murderers running from other planets and their deaths rarely went noticed by anyone other than the prostitutes that suddenly lost previous employers.

Harry set down in the dockyard after talking Grier into a full service of his ship and since the man knew him well he could set his ship down in the docks without landing elsewhere and showing up in person. He invited Grier on board and explained his new toy to the man as well as giving him a sizeable payment to have him and his son, Patrick, install it personally and without further questions of queries. Stolen technology wasn't a rare thing this far from the Central Planets and Grier wouldn't even batter an eyelash at that. It was more the fact that it was experimental technology he had never seen before. Knowing how the man ticked he promised to allow Grier and his son the chance to tinker with it as long as they put it back together and installed it correctly afterwards. Grier and Patrick were overjoyed at the prospect and Harry knew his ship was in good, and trustworthy, hands.

Harry called Peter's cousin and his wife and Michell's Uncle from the city before he and Alex hired a speeder to use to get them and the two coffins across the desert and even at a hundred and fifty miles an hour across flat ground it still took an hour and a half to get there but they were met by the two families and what seemed to be the majority of the family who were already arranging for the burial.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Harry knelt at the end of the two graves which had been placed together by their families wishes. Harry and his crew had been a family unit. Michelle and Peter had both been loners in their families who had wanted to get away and joined his crew. Harry placed a single reinforced glass lily onto each grave. It was a tradition that was as old as he was. He had always placed a glass lily onto the graves of everyone he had loved ever since he had found out his true heritage and visited his adoptive parent's graves. He felt Alex kneel beside him and he leaned to the side to nudge him.

"I'm ok." Alex told him. Harry turned and gave him a sad smile, he had finally gone to Alex last night after the sounds of his quiet crying had gone on long enough. Alex had been delirious with tears when Harry had gathered him up and let him finally vent his emotions completely. Alex was a more determined man now but Harry knew he'd never forget the other two members of their family. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Harry asked.

"Lose so many. You must have had other crews over the years." Alex looked at him.

"By never forgetting a single one of them, I could list them by name and sometimes I do." Harry told him. "All of them that I loved have got a place in my heart."

"I think I understand." Alex nodded and reached down to place a living rose on each of the graves. "Where to now?"

"Grier called this morning, a man and a woman were asking around the dockyard about the _Prism_." Harry told him. "I'm going to the district tonight to see if they're smart enough to find me there."

"The Club?" Alex asked. "I could put up with that."

Harry grinned at him. Alex probably wanted to vent some steam and the club would be an ideal place for it especially since Harry owned it. Then again Harry owned sixty percent of Shar-bank though not many knew that.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry strolled into 'Deserted' as his club was called and he and Alex walked straight past the gang of people being searched by the two club bodyguards who searched everyone for any weapons. The last person who had drawn a weapon in here had been shot by the bar tender and then one before that by Harry himself so most people didn't even bother to bring a weapon with them though anyone could have their locked up by the door guards if they wanted one for the journey to and from the club.

Gary, the bartender for the day, waved at Harry and Alex rather desperately and Harry made his way through the dancing crowd to his employee. "We heard you were in the area, Nicolas really needs to talk to you!"

"Urgently?" Harry rose an eyebrow at him wondering why he hadn't been called via his ship. He'd checked with Grier for any messages.

"It happened only an hour ago, we're still trying to work out what happened." Gary told him.

"Maybe I should talk to Nicolas. Is he around?" Harry asked.

"I'll call up for him." Gary promised.

"We'll be over at the normal table." Harry told him before grabbing Alex by the hand and yanking him away from the blond prostitute trying to get work out of him. He spluttered in irritation. "Not now, not ever, Alex."

"You never let me have any fun!" Alex whined though there was a grin on his face as he spoke. Harry led them across the dance floor and they approached the table Harry preferred against one of the walls on the raised seating area. The table was surrounded on three sides by walls and the forth opened out to the dance floor once you walked across the raised area. The group of locals sitting at the table recognised him and he almost laughed at the speed they scrambled up with their drinks and cleared the table for him and Alex.

Harry sat easily and readjusted his clothing to conceal his gun and watched as Alex smirked at him as he caught the movement. Harry decided to shut him up and opened his lips the barest amount as he lengthened his canines. Alex's teeth clicked together and he sat in shock. Harry grinned at him showing, once again, normal teeth.

A waitress arrived as they were both surveying the rooms occupants and Harry smiled up at her as she placed a pint of bear in front of them both. Harry dismissed her query over if they needed anything else just as Nicolas dodged through the crowds towards them. He sat without ceremony next to Harry and leaned over to Harry.

"What's happened, Nicolas?"

"A group got into the Vaults about an hour ago." Nicolas told him with a strained look on his face. The Vaults were a series of underground safe houses that Harry and the city had built a hundred years ago to offer hiding spaces for the citizens if the Central Planets attacked the city from space. Most of them were securely locked and many of those had some of Harry's riches locked away in them.

"Was anything taken?" Harry asked.

"Jeaduses Orb." Nicolas winced as Harry's eyes narrowed. It was a fist sized emerald with a inch wide diamond in the centre. Harry had rescued it from the Central Planet's a long time ago and had 'passed' it down through generations of Ker Tals. He wasn't pleased with it's theft.

"How did they get in?" Alex asked leaning against Harry's side to hear better.

"Through an old escape vent built in where the security is light." Nicolas sighed. Harry knew that had been a risk when he had lowered the security in less well known entrances knowing that too much security would just gain attention.

"What kind of idiot would steal something from somewhere so obviously owned by Harry?" Alex frowned. Around the city nobody attacked Harry, nobody was that stupid, he owned most of the city, had a hand in all export and import. You didn't smuggle anything into or out of the city without his permission and even the militia was in his pocket. He was feared and well respected.

"An outsider." Harry sighed.

"Only people stupid enough." Nicolas agreed with a grin getting over his fright since Harry hadn't simply shot him. Not that Harry ever would, Harry had been friends with Nicolas since he had been a teenager. "There are seventy-six in the city at the moment."

"How many with ships?"

"Four ships that are currently capable of making orbit, two are well known to us and not likely to attempt something like this. The other two are rich traders from Persephone travelling together." Nicolas told them.

"Again not likely." Harry leaned back and took a gulp of her beer.

"We have a guy on every one of the outsiders and the four ships are to be restricted from leaving for minor offences by the militia." Nicolas pointed out. Harry nodded in satisfaction, at least the militia were earning their keep.

"What about the other owners?" Harry asked referring to the fifteen other sects that owned the other forty percent of the city between them.

"They've been informed but they all adamantly deny any involvement in the theft." Nicolas shook his head. "They're all too scared of being trounced by you if they go up against you."

"The city gates are being watched I assume?" Harry asked.

"They'll be secure at least until the morning." Nicolas nodded. They couldn't keep the gates closed come morning of the farmers and travellers would be in an uproar.

"I want every club in the city watched for any dealings. Inform the other owners that I will be displeased if they allow the trafficking of any of my possessions within any of their holdings." Harry sneered ever so slightly. "I expect their full cooperation and please remind them that if anything is successfully stolen from any of us then it will set a worrying precedent for thieves across the system."

"I'll remind them." Nicolas grinned before getting up. Harry grabbed his arm gently.

"Oh and Nicolas, please asked Grier to make sure the _Prism_ is ready to lift off as soon as possible." Nicolas nodded and Harry squeezed him arm to reassure him. All that worked closely to Harry grew to love him even as those that worked under him feared his very presence. Harry turned to Alex. "Do you want to dance?"

Alex grinned. There was nothing better to attract the females eyes here then to see two guys dancing on the floor. Especially two that looked like Harry and Alex and especially good for Alex was that most locals knew who he was and knew he was straight. Tonight they would party to remember Michelle and Peter and tomorrow they would see to their most recent problem and pity the souls that stole from Harry Ker-Tal.

As luck would have it two hours after the news had reached him about the theft two men walked into his club and started talking rapidly to one of his guards who motioned for them to be searched before heading through the crowds to Harry. Harry turned back to dancing with Alex and the guard leant in to whisper in his ear. "Messengers from Loctar."

"My table." Harry grunted before gesturing to Gary at the bar for drinks to be brought over. He and Alex made their way to their table and slumped down. Alex was breathing heavily and Harry knew not to mention the other affects of dancing so close to each other just like Alex would never mention it to him especially since with Alex it was a purely physical reaction. They were joined by the two messengers just as they took their first mouthfuls of their fresh drinks.

"Greetings Harry Ker Tal." One of the men introduces himself. "We are here on the bequest of Loctar."

"So I've been told. What does he want now?" Harry asked.

"Two men and a woman were asking about exiting the city thirty minutes ago in one of his clubs." The first man informed them. "Loctar has agreed to get them passed the militia so that he can find out who they are."

"Loctar has come a long way." Harry grinned sardonically. "Do you have pictures?"

The man passed a data pad across the table and Harry pulled out one of his own and pulled up the pictures sent to him by Grier of the man and woman who had been asking about the _Prism. _Apart from the addition of the tall man in the club it was the same man and woman and Harry couldn't help but think he had seen them somewhere. Perhaps when they were younger. Harry figured they were asking after the _Prism_ wondering whether Harry Ker Tal was in the city and trying to find out whether he would get in their way.

The answer to that was 'Hell yes!' "Tell your employer that he, for once, has my gratitude." Harry told them and Alex snorted in amusement. Harry entered a number into the man's data pad and passed it back. "Make sure the men that lead them out have that on them, they're to call that number as soon as they see this trio's ship out in the desert."

The men nodded and stood with formal nods. "Oh and remind Loctar to not try to twist this to his advantage, stabbing me in the back will only mean his utter destruction and I'm sure neither of you want to find yourselves unemployed." Harry warned them with a serious look. They nodded and went to deliver his message.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

_**Prism**_

The ship lifted gently from it's working cradle and up through the iris that enclosed the dockyard. The atmospheric boosters came online with a dull thump and the _Prism_ shot off across the city leaving a trail of steam behind it. As soon as they were clear of the city Harry lowered the ship closer to the ground so mere metres separated the hull from the sand and he angled towards the location of the signal beacon. He wasn't completely trusting in Loctar and had four men watching him carefully. If this was some kind of trap then he'd be dead before Harry was free again.

Ten minutes later Harry pulled up over a low ridge that Harry knew guarded a small canyon useful for hiding ships in. As soon as he cleared the ridge his surface radar picked out a small cargo ship about half the size of his own settled in the centre of the valley getting ready to take off. Harry slowed the ship and brought in down in front of the Firefly Cargo ship's bridge though he didn't set her down.

"Unidentified Cargo Vessel, shut down your engines immediately and state you reason for visiting Shar-bank." Harry told them. The Firefly barely paused before lifting off the ground ready to turn and take off into space. Harry gestured at Alex sitting in one of the weapons seats and he selected and aimed the main cannon, a six inch shell firing gun on the top of the ship, which rose out of a sheltered compartment and swivelled to point to one of the rock protrusions of the ridge line. It fired and one of the ten tonne boulders on the ridge exploded in a fiery explosion. "The next shot will go through your bridge window."

"_Identify yourself."_ A voice came back through the radio.

"This is the Cargo Vessel _Prism_." Harry said simply. "I am Harry Ker Tal and you are in possession of an item that belongs to me. Open your cargo bay and prepare to be boarded. If you fail to comply in two minutes you will be destroyed."

Harry terminated the connection and rejected any attempt at further communications. He spun the _Prism_ and lowered her towards the ground to the rear of the cargo ship and gave the controls to Alex. "If they try anything then destroy them." Harry told him and Alex nodded with a small grin on his face.

Harry slipped out of his own ship through the lower hatch without needing it to settle fully to the ground. He walked slowly towards the cargo vessel just as it's rear bay opened up. He walked up it without a care and was greeted by six people. Two wore the distinctive Shar-bank clothing. He figured they were Loctar's men. Three of the last four he recognised from the photos provided by Loctar's messengers but the last was an unknown woman wearing a tool belt who he figured might be the ships engineer.

Harry twitched his hand over his leather jacket and it moved slightly to show his energy blaster on his right hip. He stopped in front of them all and growled lowly at the tallest of the crew as he drew his ballistic pistol. "One move and you all die. I don't take lightly to people that steal from me."

"I think you're a bit outnumbered." The man that Harry suddenly recognised from year passed spoke up with a small grin.

"Not as much as you would think." Harry smirked before gesturing at the two Shar-bank men who turned slightly to point their own weapons at the crew. "Did you even know who you were stealing from?"

"Not really, no." The ships captain told him.

"Then you are not such idiots as I thought." Harry sighed. "Now, you need simply return the Orb to me and I'll let you fly your ship out of here, Sergeant Reynolds."

The man twitched as did the woman at his side. "Do I know you?"

Harry chuckled before looking at the woman. "Alleyne I believe. Don't you remember the man that rescued you and three hundred others from Serenity Valley. Don't you recognise the ship aiming at your own. Nice ship by the way."

"You are Harry Ker Tal!" Malcolm Reynold's eyes widened.

"Very clever." Harry smirked before moving as the tall man glanced at his Captain. He darted forwards twisted away from Reynolds' suddenly drawn pistol and disarmed the taller man. His own weapon was pointed at Reynolds and it whined as it charged up. "The orb please."

Reynolds frowned at him but turned to the small woman with the tool belt. "Kaylee? Go get it."

The woman nodded with a worried look but scampered out of the cargo bay and returned half a minute later with a velvet bag of the right size. Harry stepped away and let her come to him but grabbed her arm when she reached out to give it to him. "Open it and show me." Harry hissed. She did as told as he held her tightly with his gun pointed at her head. She pulled the emerald-diamond out of the stone and Harry recognised it easily and nodded at her to put it back. He took it from her before she could offer it again and he slipped it into a pocket in the inside of his jacket so it wouldn't get in the way.

He shoved Kaylee back at Reynolds and nodded to the two Shar-bank men and tossed them a credit chit. "That's for your boss to compensate him." The men nodded and backed out of the cargo bay. "As I said, I'll let you take off but remember this, if I ever find that you've tried to steal something of mine again then I'll kill you very slowly."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	3. Reluctant Allies

Blood in the Stars

Chapter 3; Reluctant Allies

**_Prism - _Shar-Bank**

Harry drummed his fingers on the communications screen as he waited for a return message to reach him. He was waiting for a message from a friend who lived on the habitable moon around the planet. There were three moons that circled this planet, all three had people on them but only one could sustain lives. The other two only had habitats on them for mining operations.

Harry had nothing to do with the mining operations normally though he had been sure to involve his 'ancestors' in the founding of them both so that the Ker Tals owned a small proportion of them both though he made no money from either of them. The liveable moon was like Shar-Bank and the other cities on the planet's surface. Almost completely under Harry's, rather subtle, control.

Vetegal had been where he and his Vampire friends had first settled along with a few other thousand humans so it was home to Harry in more ways than one. He had a vetted interest in the planet and that explained the hidden missile systems that lay dormant in the asteroid field near to the planet and even within the 'Ancient' ruins around the planet. It had taken many hundreds of years to build up the missile systems along with everything else but Harry and his friends had agreed it was necessary.

The Comm. Unit beeped and a text message appeared on the screen. '_I've found them in my database. Arrange a visit.'_

'_Will be up in a few days if not sooner. Keep this to yourself.'_ He replied rapidly and didn't wait for the few minutes the message would take before he switched off the system and made his way back through his ship and into the dock under it. He waved at Patrick who grinned back at him happily before scurrying off.

Harry made his way slowly through the city making his way to his club and was almost there when he noticed something that annoyed him. He was being followed, he feigned partial interest in a passing Militia hoverdrone so that he could half turn and study the man. He smelt the same as any other local and since he'd managed to follow Harry for the last twenty minutes without Harry paying attention he was obviously just that. A local.

Harry continued on his way without letting on that he was being followed and waved his way into his club without pausing. The man would have to queue if he wanted to follow him inside. He went straight to the back of the bar counter and looked at the bank of screens under the desk that shone up through the surface so that only the barmen could see them. He found the set for outside without trouble and quickly found the man that had been following him on the screen.

"What's up, Harry?" Gary asked as he paused at his shoulder. Harry tapped on the keyboard under the desk and deftly highlighted the man and pulled out his palm control pad and uploaded a frozen image of the man and then connected to _Deserted's_ security network and ordered it to follow the man and transmit the image to his pad so he could watch the man without ever looking at him.

"He followed me all the way from the port." Harry told Gary only after he was finished.

"He looks local." Gary observed after a moment of watching the man moving forwards in the queue.

"That's why I'm being extra cautious." Harry nodded.

"You want me to tell Ted and Jo to refuse him?" Gary asked twitching his hand towards his radio microphone.

"Nah. He'll be easier to watch in here." Harry grunted. "Where's Alex?"

"Upstairs I think." Gary shrugged. "Wanted to be alone I think."

"How did he look?" Harry asked. Harry had been out for the last couple of days arranging checks on photos and meeting with all of the other city-owners as well as a couple of trips to the other cities on the planet.

"Honestly?" Gary ignored a customer to turn to Harry. "Tired and strained. I haven't ever seen him like this. He ignored a really hot lass earlier which isn't like him. He always talks to them regardless of interest."

"He's grown up into a good man." Harry nodded.

"Thanks to you. You brought him up well, Harry." Gary eyed him carefully. "Nobody doubts that."

"It's painful to see him like this." Harry admitted. "He was worse on the way back with just me around. It was hard on him."

"He misses them, I know." Gary sighed.

"I'm going to go find him." Harry told him.

"I'll keep an eye on this guy for you." Gary offered.

"Thanks." Harry nodded at him before making his way back across the club and up through the closed off section at the back and into the six flats where Gary as well as a few others lived. People that Harry had taken in off of the streets for one reason or another and given a life too. It didn't take long to find Alex since Harry knew the boy better than anybody else did. He was on the roof just like he was whenever he had a free moment to spare. When Harry had first brought Alex here from Persephone after his parents had been murdered, Alex had spent almost every moment up here under the stars to the point that Harry had ended up bringing him a tent and making a bedroom out of it.

Alex was sitting on the edge of the building with the view of the Eastern starry sky before him and the flittering lights of creatures that hunted in the swamps. Harry walked up behind him making sure to make noise as he walked so he would surprise the young man by sneaking up on him. "How was your trip?" Alex asked before Harry could speak.

Harry sighed and sat beside him on the wall bringing one knee up and placing his chin on it. "Boring and lonely." Harry told him truthfully. "How did you sleep?"

"Sleep?" Alex chuckled derisively.

"I see." Harry sighed. "I promise, I won't leave you behind again."

"Why did you have to this time?" Alex turned to look at him with red eyes and pale features.

"I didn't have to." Harry decided to be honest. "I needed to know for sure that your nightmares weren't because I was around. I wanted to give you time away from me in case I was the problem."

"Well, you're not." Alex snapped.

Harry winced. "I know that now, I just needed to be sure." Harry sighed and let his leg fall off the edge. "From now on you can come anywhere with me on trips."

"What's the next one?" Alex asked looking slightly eager. Harry eyed him waiting for an explanation. "I don't feel safe here. I want to get things back to normal, to be up there in the black with just you."

"I see." Harry reached an arm around Alex's shoulders and pulled him into his side. "I need to make a quick trip up to Vet-One to find out about our thieves from last week and depending on that information we'll follow it up."

"Follow it up?" Alex turned to look up at him. "Why? You never normally."

"I know I don't but somebody wants the Jeaduses Orb and I want to know why." Harry told him.

"So it's more than you made it out to be?" Alex asked.

"It not just an emerald-diamond." Harry nodded. "It has certain properties that make it extremely valuable to certain people."

"What people?" Alex asked.

"People obsessed with Vampires." Harry told him bluntly. "When you turn somebody into a Vampire they get all of the instincts, feelings and a lot of the memories of the person that turned them. Without the Sire around the new Vampire can go insane and the Orb was created to sooth those memories and instincts without an Elder around to do it."

"So somebody might want it because they have a Vampire?" Alex asked.

"I don't see how they could." Harry shrugged. "I'm the only Vampire left in the Universe and they'd need my blood."

"You're sure?" Alex asked.

"Yes, I'm sure." Harry sighed. "Maybe they just wanted the Orb because it's thousands of years older than the evacuation of the Earth-that-was?"

"But you need to be sure?" Alex asked.

"Yup." Harry nodded.

"Cool." Alex grinned up at him. "At least I know so you can include me in this hunt. When do we leave?"

"There's something else I need to deal with first." Harry explained. "There's a local following me and I want to find out why before we go."

"Sure thing." Alex nodded.

"I'll deal with it tonight and then hunt. We'll leave tomorrow but I'll come back once I'm done and I'll make sure you get some proper sleep." Harry offered tentatively.

"Thanks, Harry." Alex looked up at him seriously and burrowed into his side a bit more. Harry decided to just sit there for a while and let Alex relax into his side while he watched the man below him in the club on his pad. The more he watched the more convinced he was that the man was a local which meant he was either utterly stupid, been hit on the head or had been paid a lot of money to follow him. Harry was going to go for all three.

The question was whether he was working for an Outsider or for one of the other Owners but Harry was inclined to have a little faith in the other owners' intelligence. He eventually left Alex on his own and slipped back down into the club and up to the bar. Gary nodded at him with a small flick of the eyes towards the dance floor and a table on the other side that Harry knew his follower was sitting at with a girl he'd picked up to make his stay more believable.

"Put it out on the Owners-Wire." Harry told his friend. "I want to know who he is working for and why he's following me and I don't fancy being subtle. Tell them he won't be leaving my club till he's answered to me."

"You fancy signing the message?" Gary asked after playing with the computer under the counter. Harry smirked at him and signed the pad that Gary offered him. With his signature on that pad the men working for the other owners would interrupt their employers regardless of what they were doing.

"If one of them sent him they'll be in trouble." Harry gritted his teeth. It made him think it even more unlikely that one of the others had done this. They tended to refuse anything that upset Harry, especially if Harry was actually in town. He had a reputation for being swift and unmerciful in his revenge. Harry ordered a drink from Gary and sat at the bar drinking it feeling the man's eyes on his back just as he had outside. He could feel his blood boiling and by the time Gary interrupted him ten minutes later he had to force his canines back to normal.

"We've got responses from them all." Gary told him. "Most are empties but three identify him as Hans Venner who also goes as Douglass Glasse and that he works for Kevinar."

Obviously three of the other owners had intelligence on their fellow owner's employees. Kevinar owned a decent proportion of what little tourist industry there was in the town and he'd never gone against Harry before in anyway but professionally. "And Kevinar?"

"He sent a message for your eyes only." Gary told him. Anything put on the Owners-Wire was open for all of the owners to read unless it was sealed like this one. It meant that Kevinar had something to say that he wanted to go to only Harry first.

The message was a complete dossier on Hans Venner and it listed the details of his employment to Kevinar and what he was currently working on. He had recently requested for leave from work to deal with a personal issue. The message promised that Kevinar had no desire to have Harry followed and that he'd deal with the man if Harry delivered Hans to him.

Harry sent a public message back to Kevinar saying that he believed he didn't have any responsibility to his employees actions and he'd deal with the man in one hour outside _Deserted_ if he wished to meet him there but that Harry would be the one questioning him.

"I was right then." Harry sighed to Gary. "He's working for an outsider."

"The same man that wants the Orb do you think?" Gary asked.

"We'll see when I question him." Harry grunted before accepting another drink from Gary and slowly making his way through it. His mind was elsewhere for the next hour as he went through everything he knew about who might want the Orb and whether it was for some sentimental Earth-that-was fanatic or for some nastier reason. It was only when he really considered the second option that he began to worry that maybe Alex was right and somebody was trying to make an army of Vampires but he didn't see how they could manage it.

As the hour clocked over he decided that he was simply being paranoid about it all. Not once in hundreds of years had anybody tried that and it was ludicrous. Nobody really believed in Vampires as more than a myth now-a-days even if Wizards, Vampires and all the other Magical creatures had been documented during the Purge.

He walked calmly out of the pub on time and slowly made his way down the street though he paused and slipped into an alley waiting for his follower to catch up to him. He wasn't disappointed either as the man came out of the pub and walked straight passed his hiding place. Harry stepped out of the alley and smoothly stole the man's bullet-pistol before walking across the road slowly.

"Hey!" The man yelled before he realised who he was shouting at. Harry turned and pulled his own energy-pistol and it powered up with a sharp whine. Harry looked down at the man's pistol before throwing it onto the ground. He could already see that he had an audience so he stepped closer to the man.

"Who paid you to follow me?" Harry asked calmly.

"I wasn't following you!" Hans defended.

Harry caught his eyes and put his Vampiric powers into his voice. "Who?" His voice made Hans flinch as it reverberated around his head just like Veritiserum did. The older the Vampire the harder it was to fight. Harry wasn't an Ancient yet but he was an Elder and that meant that only a small proportion of mortals had the will needed to fight his Compulsion.

"I don't know his name. Some travellers paid me and gave me my orders."

"What were the Travellers names?" Harry asked in the same way. Hans flinched but shook his head to show he didn't know.

Harry sighed and brought out his pad and displayed Malcolm Reynolds' face. He showed it Hans who nodded to show it was him. "That's him."

"Do you know why you were ordered to follow me?" Harry asked.

"I don't know." Hans seemed to be close to sobbing and Harry looked at him in disgust.

"You're a fool to try this, Hans." He said using the man's name to put more fear in him. "Every owner in the city has known you were following me for the last hour including Kevinar."

"And I'm extremely pissed off." Kevinar walked out of an Alley behind him where Harry knew he'd been hiding with four of his men. Hans went shockingly pale. "Thank you, Harry."

Harry stepped to the side and holstered his pistol. "Keep better track of your men, Kevinar, or next time I'll take my displeasure out on you."

Kevinar snorted but nodded in acceptance. He was always more sure of himself than the other owners were around Harry but Harry respected that. Harry walked passed Hans and paused at his shoulder. "If I ever see you again I'll kill you."

With that Harry slipped down the road away from the confrontation between Kevinar and Hans. His tongue played with his elongated canines as he slipped through the shadows into the worst sector of town, a sector that always had a few choices for a complete meal.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Vet-One**

Harry gently eased the _Prism_ down into the dock and let the iris close over the top. He put the ship on standby and activated all of the ship's defences just on the off chance that this was a trap. Reggie had always been a friend ever since the street rat had been a boy and had kept up his friendliness into adulthood and when he spread out into every part of the Underground network between the planets.

"Ready to go, Alex?" Harry asked over the intercom.

"_Locked and loaded."_ Alex replied. "_I'll meet you in the cargo bay."_

Harry did just that and the two walked down the ramp as Harry checked over his two pistols and assortment of daggers. He looked up and returned Alex's smirk before closing up the cargo bay with his command coded remote. Harry and Alex walked the short distance to the office that Reggie would meet them in and slipped through the door without confrontation.

Reggie was a man in his thirties who had his hands in everything larger than a robbery. He tended to know every conspiracy that was going on and very little happened that he didn't find out about. That was why Harry had sent the images of the Firefly's crew to him along with the names that he knew to find out what he came up with.

"It's been a long time, Harry." Reggie greeted him. "And I haven't seen the rug rat since he was a teenager."

"I remember you." Alex commented blandly. "You tricked me into drinking a spiked hot-chocolate that kept me up all night."

"I didn't think it would give you indigestion." Reggie faked innocence.

"It didn't." Harry came to Alex's rescue remembering the few days where Alex's puberty had been made ever slightly more complicated, not to mention embarrassing. "What did you find out?"

"Straight to business?" Reggie seemed disappointed.

"This time." Harry sighed and sat in the chair. He tapped the chair next to him and looked up at Alex who frowned at the chair with suspicion before gently easing himself into it. Harry chuckled at him fondly before turning back to Reggie.

"You're worried about this." Reggie stated more than asked. "Very well. You said you already knew Malcolm Reynolds from the war but I managed to find files on all of them. Recent ones too. The Alliance has been keeping an eye on them which makes what I found out rather interesting."

"An eye?" Harry asked. "A friendly one or a nasty one?"

"Very nasty." Reggie chuckled. "You remember that hack a year or so ago that told everyone the truth about the Reavers?" Harry nodded. "That was them."

"Interesting." Harry commented remembering that incident. He'd already known that the Reavers were the creation of the Alliance but didn't see the need to cause trouble by pointing it out. The Alliance was too powerful to simply crumble from something so basic no matter how horrible. "What of it?"

"Well, rumour has it they've gotten into bed with Morbid Mansell over on Beaumonde." Reggie told them stressing his hate of the drug lord. "It was him that sent them after the Jeaduses Orb."

"Heard about that did you?" Harry commented knowing something so major could not have been missed by his friend.

"I did some searches about that Orb of yours, you know?" Reggie smiled up at Harry. "Did you know the myths around it?"

"Oh yes," Harry spoke sarcastically. "It's supposed to raise the dead, or did you read the one about calming the minds of Vampires?"

"Read both of them actually." Reggie smirked. "It was said that Harry Potter-Ker Tal and his friends brought it with him after the Purge. It was said that he planned to use it to build an army of Vampires to get revenge."

Harry laughed at that one. "And then he vanished and the Orb vanished with him until my great-grandfather unearthed it in the Privent Ruins down on this very planet."

"You see this is where it gets interesting." Reggie brought the conversation back on track. Harry knew the man believed rather strongly in Harry Potter-Ker Tal and his Vampire friends and had told Harry that he believed that Harry was descended from him. "Other rumours about Morbid Mansell lean towards his helping a certain Research Centre owned by Blue Sun. Supposedly he's been helping out with their research. Finding victims for their genetic alteration programs and such. But recently the centre's been buying up all sorts of things. Hundreds of people have been sent in there and not come out. In the last few weeks the Alliance has given them unlimited funds and suddenly Morbid Mansell is sending people to steal the Jeaduses Orb and having you followed."

"You don't miss anything do you, Reggie?" Harry commented bluntly.

"I wouldn't have noticed your follower if I hadn't just tracked Morbid Mansell's expenditures to a man on this planet." Reggie told him. "Of course all this Blue Sun stuff is rumour. I highly doubt they're trying to build an army. Especially an army of Vampires which is just ludicrous."

"Ludicrous." Harry muttered in response before looking up and meeting Reggie's expectant look. "The Orb's just an Emerald-Diamond, Reggie. Don't you think my grand-parents had it tested."

He had had it tested after all but only so he could say it was ordinary. It was inert in everyway, even Magically. It only worked if somebody put magic into it. "So, how can we find this Morbid Mansell?"

"You're going to go after him?" Reggie seemed surprised.

"I want this stopped before he tries anything else. He's tried to steal from me, he's tried to have me followed. Eventually he's going to try to come after me and I won't let that happen." Harry leaned forwards. "I won't let Alex get hurt over personal issues. Not like…"

He trailed off quickly as he saw Alex tense up beside him. Reggie gave him a sad look but nodded at him with acceptance in his eyes. "I don't normally give information out on innocents but I know you would never hurt somebody who didn't deserve it." Reggie paused and passed a data chip across the table to Harry before continuing. "Your best chance of getting to Morbid Mansell is through the Serenity's crew members. They have a permanent friendship with a Companion on Persephone."

Harry reached over and touched Alex on the arm as he flinched at the name. Harry hadn't been to Persephone since meeting Alex purely because it was where Alex's parents had been murdered. Reggie sent Alex an apologetic look before making an offer. "I could put Alex to work for a few days while you make the visit."

"Alex?" Harry turned to his younger crewmate to leave it up to him.

"No. I want to stay with you. Persephone is just a planet. The people that did it are long dead." Alex drew himself up and Harry gave him a proud smile before turning back to Reggie.

"You've grown up into a good man, Alex." Reggie told him with a small smile of his own. "The woman you're looking for is called Inara Serra, she was there when they made the broadcast but isn't an official member of the crew. I did a search for her and she should be at her House."

"Thank you, Reggie." Harry nodded and made to stand.

"I'll send everything I have to your ship and let you piece together things that I can't." Reggie gave him a level look and Harry nodded as he waited for Alex to stand as well. If it ever came to light what Harry was he knew at least one man who wouldn't even be surprised.

"Bye, Harry." Reggie stood to see them out and offered his hand first to Harry and then to Alex. "Stay safe, Alex."

"I'll try." Alex told him bluntly before sweeping passed Harry and out into the corridor with a superior look in his eyes. Harry squeezed Reggie's shoulder gently as he followed Alex out of the room and back to the ship. He'd already arranged for food and supplies to be piled up into the ship while on the planet so was prepared for the week long trip to Persephone and then wherever that led them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Persephone had to be one of the nicest looking planets in the Universe. It was covered in trees and water and was a comfortable distance away from it's sun so that it was temperate and had fine weather. As the planet finally became visible to normal humans through the view screen Harry began to dread the approach. He hadn't been here since he, Michelle and Peter had come here with a cargo of spices and platinum. Harry had been out hunting for food when it had happened.

A small scuff of foot on metal sounded from behind him and Harry half turned to look at Alex who he had known was standing behind him. Harry gave him a small smile and stood. "That's it?" Alex asked nodding at the window. He looked pained and grave.

"That's it." Harry nodded. "We'll be there in the morning. I've slowed us down so I can run scans of the system as we come in. To stop anyone slipping away without us noticing."

Alex took another look at the window before shuddering. He'd come to tell Harry that he was turning in but now he didn't know whether he'd be able to sleep. Harry walked with him back to their rooms and as they came to Harry's cabin door he stopped them both and made a small motion with his hands in invitation. Alex glanced behind them even though he couldn't see the planet through the bulkheads of the ship.

"It's ok, Alex." Harry whispered almost too quiet to hear. "I know."

"You do." Alex seemed to realise before following Harry into his room. Harry switched on his music and a gentle peace of classical music started playing quietly through the room. They settled together in the bed and Harry hugged Alex gently to him as the young man got comfortable. "Can you…I mean. No." Alex trailed off. Harry hugged him tighter and waited him out. "Could you tell me about what happened?"

Harry sighed and waited for a few moments to gather his thoughts before he began, speaking quietly and slowly so that Alex could take it all in on the first time. "I was hunting at the time when I heard a cry of pain. It was muffled but I can hear better than any other. I knew from the sounds that people were struggling so I snuck up the side of the building and inside. I found you all in your family room. You were crouched behind an upturned table over your mother." Harry had to pause as he remembered Alex's expression in that moment. Full of shock, pain, grief and despair. "I was too late to save her and as I arrived the five men had just finished beating your father. One of the men stepped forward and shot him point blank and I couldn't stop them in time. You cried out and it went straight through me in that instant. I lost it and gave in to the bloodlust. It was the first time in a hundred years that I've done that and they didn't last long. You were curled up in a ball by the time I got to you and you collapsed in my arms."

Harry paused and laid his cheek against Alex's head for a while. He could feel his tears against his chest but he didn't comment on them. "I took you back to the ship and told Michelle and Peter that I'd shot up your family's attackers. We cared for you until you regained your senses and then decided to give you the choice of joining us or not."

Alex nodded slightly against him. "I've never regretted taking you in, Alex. I've loved you more than I have any other since coming here."

"I love you too." Alex sighed into him and pressed closer to him. Harry hummed along to the music as Alex tried to sleep just as he had when Alex was a teenager. It took a while but Alex finally fell asleep though Harry knew his dreams were filled with his parents' cries and Harry's retribution. Harry didn't try to wake him though and instead just stayed awake to soothe his pains as well as he could.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Persephone**

Harry and Alex made their way through the bustling city from the dockyards to the House where Harry had found that Inara worked. "There's a Firefly in a dock on the other side of the City." Alex told him as they walked.

"How do you know that?"

"I sucked up to one of the dock yard mechanics earlier." Alex grinned weakly, still reeling from being on his home planet. "Told him I'd heard that there were still a few old Fireflies rolling around and he laughed and told me about one over in Gradver's Yard. He seemed to find it hilarious."

"I don't doubt it." Harry chuckled as he paid for a shuttle to take them out to the outskirts and the Companion House. "It's probably the last one in existence. I remember when they were new. I used to have one but I got rid of it seventy odd years ago."

"What did you have after that?" Alex asked as they got inside the shuttle and Harry hit the door release to close the outer hatch. The shuttle lurched as it shot off into the air.

"I've gone through six ships since then." Harry grinned as he launched into a quick rundown of his last few ships. He could have probably listed hundreds of year worth of them without pause. "I've had the _Prism _the longest recently though, straight off the production line fifteen years ago." Harry grinned fondly.

"You sap." Alex grinned childishly.

"Ah, there's the kid I remember." Harry laughed and ruffled Alex's hair even though the young man was an inch taller than him. They arrived at the House a few minutes later and the shuttle docked with a soft thud. They were met in the entrance hall by a tall, regal, woman who appraised them both without subtlety. Undoubtedly somebody had tipped them off to approaching money since Harry had purposely made it obvious he was a Captain.

"How may I be of assistance?" The woman asked primly. Harry drew himself up acting every part the high socially ranked man that he was pretending to be.

"I'm afraid I'm here on business. My name is Captain Ker Tal of the Cargo Ship, _Prism_, and this is my XO, Alex." He'd never used Alex's surname since Alex never liked the reminder of his parents especially now they were back on his home planet. Alex always used Ker Tal if he needed to and Harry wasn't troubled by it. In fact he loved the sense of familiarity it brought. "I'm afraid I need to speak to one of your Companions about a personal issue."

"Your personal issue or hers?" She asked trying to get a clearer picture of what Harry meant.

"I suppose you could say both." Harry told her. "I would be willing to pay you for any time that I take up."

"Who is it that you wish to see?" She asked.

"A woman by the name of Inara Serra." Harry told her and saw the momentary flicker of recognition to the name that proved he had the right place.

"I don't believe she is busy at this time." She told him. "Please give her name at the desk and they'll contact her immediately."

"Thank you, kind Lady." Harry bowed slightly before leading Alex passed her. He cuffed him on the back of the head lightly to stop him staring at the beautifully dressed women that flitted about the extravagant hall.

They were directed from the desk to a garden-balcony on the top floor by a young lady that Alex couldn't take his eyes off of. She announced them to the woman seated on a divan on the balcony before saying her farewells and slipping back into the building. Alex looked like he wanted to follow the Companion-in-training but Harry grabbed him on the arm and led him out into the bright sunlight.

"Captain Ker Tal?" She stood up gracefully to shake his hand.

"Thank you for seeing us, Miss. Serra." Harry pushed Alex down onto a bench and took his own seat knowing from experience that Inara wouldn't seat herself until they were sat. "I'm sorry for taking up your time like this."

"I wasn't busy for the moment. Can I ask how you got my name?" She got down to business.

"Ah, I learnt of it in my search for somebody else but since you were the only one with a fixed place of work I was forced to come here." Harry told her truthfully.

"Are you a Bounty Hunter?" She asked suspiciously.

Harry laughed and Alex smiled fondly at him. "Nothing of the sort I assure you." Harry told her. "I'm a man with a small amount of real-estate out on Vetegal that recently had a run in with a band of thieves."

"How do you think I can help with that?" She asked and Harry had to hand it to her. Outwardly she had made no response but her heart rate had sped up ever so slightly and Harry could hear it beating in her chest.

"I'm not interested in them or I would have killed them and destroyed their ship when I caught them on Vetegal." Harry assured her. "But the man they're working for has taken an unhealthy liking to me and I want it dealt with."

"I don't see where I come in." She pointed out with perfect acting.

"Miss. Serra." Harry sighed and placed a hand on his hip showing the placement of his pistol. "I know you were involved with them when the truth about the Reavers came out and I know you have had dealings with Malcolm Reynolds and his crew since then."

"I don't know where they are." She told him and there was truth in her words though she must know they were on the planet.

"Yet their ship is in dock across the city." Harry shrugged, the flash of horror in her eyes at his knowledge proved Alex's findings before she could cover the reaction from Harry.

"I won't betray my friends and I won't tell you anything." She told him.

"I know that. You _are_ a Companion after all. We came in publicly with no listed cargo." Harry told her abruptly. "Of course I didn't know they were already here but it works out in the end."

"What do you mean?" Inara frowned.

"Captain Reynolds, or should I say Sergeant Reynolds, is a trained soldier. It is because of my rescue that he survived the battle of Serenity Valley." Harry told her with a lazy gesture of his hand. "I would be disappointed if he didn't realise that my ship was in dock with no cargoing purpose and he'll realise that I'm after him or his crew. He'll undoubtedly have already made sure that all his crew are safe and then he'll realise that I have found out about you and he'll come to your rescue."

"You can't be serious." She frowned. Alex chuckled having seen that Harry listed the ship with no cargo and no cargo buying purposes and had probably known that Harry was up to something.

"He's probably already contacted the House and will probably come running at any time." Harry stood and motioned to Alex to stay where he is. "Now, Alex is going to keep you company while I wait over there until our guest arrives and I warn you, Miss. Serra, that Alex is armed and so am I. When Captain Reynolds arrives I suggest you don't attempt anything foolish."

She gaped at him for a moment but grumbled out something rather unbecoming of a Companion as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. Harry backed away to the balcony wall to the side of the doorway and sat calmly on the wall blocked from the door by a trellis of roses. Inara continued to glare at him and Harry smirked at her.

"Please don't get the wrong impression about him." Alex pleaded with her probably not realising that Harry could hear his words. "He comes across rather rough but he doesn't hurt people without need."

"I'm sure." She turned her glare on Alex but it softened ever so slightly. "Why are you working with a man like that?"

"Harry's just worked up because he thinks I'm in danger. He gets like this." Alex retorted with a firm voice to stop her from arguing. "He took me in when men Alliance Troopers murdered my parents ten years ago and he raised me as well, if not better, than they ever could."

"You know I could raise an alarm." She pointed out. "It's voice activated."

"You could but I promise you that Harry won't hurt your friends if he doesn't need to. He's only interested in the man that gave them the job. If your friends don't come we'll have to take more drastic measures to find him. This really is the cleanest way to do it." Alex assured her.

"You better be right because Captain Reynolds is a fine shot and he might take this out on you if things go wrong." Alex paused as Harry growled loud enough for them both to hear.

"I wouldn't say something like that again, Miss. Serra." Alex smiled at her. "As I said he's rather protective of me and I've seen him kill to keep me safe."

She glanced at Harry curiously but they were interrupted as three people burst out onto the balcony. Harry tensed even though he'd heard them walking down the corridor. He set his pistol down on his knee even though he didn't bother to stand.

"Inara? Are you ok?" Captain Reynolds asked even as Zoe Alleyne turned to scope out the rest of the balcony and saw Harry. Harry met her eyes and she froze in place unable to break eye contact with the Vampire. He smirked at her slowly as her hands twitched towards her pistol but failed to reach it.

"I'm fine, this young man is lovely company. His Captain, however, could use a lesson in politeness." Inara told him with a flick of her head towards Harry. Captain Reynolds spun to face Harry and he jumped off of the wall gracefully. The movement freed Alleyne from her frozen state and her pistol was up and pointing at him in an instant.

"Don't even think about it." Harry hissed and her gun wavered slightly to point over his left shoulder. She was too strong willed to be put completely off but at least she wouldn't aim directly at him. "Captain Reynolds. What a surprise to see you here."

"I highly doubt it wasn't planned, Captain Ker Tal." Reynolds told him.

"Let's just go with Harry." Harry offered and walked passed them slowly to Alex's side even though the young man hadn't stood up. "I believe you and Alex haven't been formally introduced. He was nineteen at Serenity Valley."

"I remember him." Reynolds spoke and studied Harry as he sat beside Alex opposite Inara.

"You're being awfully impolite, Sergeant Reynolds." Harry told him using his rank over his designation. "We're in the company of a Companion and she is seated, thereby so should you. Also I don't seem to know your crewman's name nor whether he has yet to decide on which of his weapons to draw."

Alex snorted at the sarcasm and Harry grinned gently. Reynolds motioned for Alleyne and the other man to seat themselves before he sat opposite Harry. Harry noted that he left his pistol on his lap and left his own in the same position. "You've met Zoe, this is Jayne."

Harry nodded to the two others before looking back at a nervous looking Reynolds. "You're wondering if you can take me, are you not?"

"What if I am?" Reynolds frowned at him.

"Two things. Firstly, if it wasn't for me both you and the lovely Zoe would be dead in Serenity Valley." Harry said bluntly. "Secondly, if I wanted revenge for your thievery I would have killed you when I caught you at it."

"Then why are you here?" Reynolds asked suspiciously.

"You paid a man to follow me back in Shar-Bank." Harry said with a narrow look knowing they probably hadn't known what they were doing. "And his employer's, your employer's, interest is beginning to annoy me."

"What's that have to do with us?" Reynolds narrowed his own eyes carefully.

"I'm not normally in the habit of changing my mind on retribution, Captain Reynolds, but I have suddenly found the need to meet Morbid Mansell and coincidentally you've just found a need to return to him to report your failure." Harry told him.

"I'm not in the habit of reporting failure to an employer like Morbid Mansell." Reynolds told him.

"This time you are." Harry told him. "He has an annoying habit of staying hidden, even from me. I need you to meet with him at the allotted time and report your failure so that I can come along and have a chat."

"A chat?" Zoe scoffed.

"It may become more than that but you can't plan for everything." Alex laughed at Harry's words.

"And what about our lives?" Reynolds asked.

"Lets put it this way, Captain. You and your crew have a better chance against Morbid Mansell with me there then you have against me right now." Harry told him. "I'm not interested in you all that much, we both don't like the Alliance all that much but in this instance I'm more worried about my own skin and that of Alex's."

"What do we get out of it?" Reynolds asked.

"Apart from the opportunity to walk out of this place alive?" Harry paused for a while before shrugging. "If you'd done your research before trying to steal from me you would have discovered that I own the majority of Vetegal. Read into that as you like."

Reynolds eyed him for a moment before sighing. "I suppose we don't have much of a choice." He sighed. "Besides we owe you one for saving our lives in the war. If you give us your word not to try to hurt us."

"I give you my word." Harry stood up and Alex stood beside him. Harry holstered his pistol and saw the flash of thought pass across Reynolds head as he reassessed the situation before backing down. "Now, meet me in orbit in two hours. You know my ship."

"Very well." Reynolds nodded and motioned to the others.

"One moment, Captain Reynolds." Harry stopped him and even Alex looked surprised. "You don't strike me as the kind to be foolish but all the same I require something for the journey to make sure you don't attempt to slip away."

"What?" Reynolds asked.

"Miss. Serra will be accompanying myself and Alex for the duration and you will send Doctor Tam and his sister to the _Prism_ before we take off." Harry told him. "None are strictly essential to the daily running of your ship."

"Hostages?" Reynolds asked.

"Guests." Harry assured him with a small smile that didn't alleviate the man's fears. "They will be well looked after I assure you."

"They can look after themselves, Mal." Zoe put in helpfully and caught his eye. Harry had to wonder what they were thinking. He knew that River Tam was more than met the eye since even Reggie hadn't been able to get everything on the girl.

"Very well. I'll send them over in Inara's shuttle." Reynolds didn't look happy. "I swear though, if you harm them I'll hunt you down."

"I'm sure you will." Harry gave him a grin and bowed slightly to Inara. "Perhaps you should inform the House that you are taking a small trip?"

"If I must." She definitely looked pissed off.

"Alex, be so kind as to escort the Lady wherever she wishes before bringing her to the ship." Harry leant into the young man's side. "I'll meet you there."

Alex nodded and made his own small bow before offering his arm to the lady. She eyed it for a moment before drawing herself up and taking it. The two walked from the room and vanished down the hall. Harry could hear Alex apologies for their uprooting of the woman even as they walked away and he grinned fondly.

"You walk a fine line, Captain Ker Tal." Reynolds told him harshly.

Harry laughed. "I always have, Captain Reynolds."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**An hour or so later**

Harry left Alex in control of the ship as he led Inara down to the shuttle bays in the rear section of the ship. The ship had two shuttles of its own that Harry sometimes used when he didn't use city docks or when he had to do an exchange out in space. The _Prism_ had four shuttle docks though and he tended to leave the other two clear for visiting shuttles like this one.

Shuttles were no more than a cockpit in front of an engine with both of those on top of a longer single room that could haul cargo or passengers. They weren't expensive and they were rather slow compared to something like the _Prism_. They couldn't enter atmosphere but they were handy for jumping around the surface. He waited for the airlock door to chime before entering the release codes without Inara being able to see what they were. The door hissed as it slid into the wall and Harry felt the freshness of the shuttle docks new air. The shuttle was already lowering it's ramp and two figures walked out of it.

He took in the two siblings with a practiced air. The man was rather pale and Harry wasn't surprised. He knew that River Tam was a passable pilot but she evidently overlooked simple things like auto-levelling and such. Her course across the city had probably worried quite a few of those on the surface.

"I'm going to assume you're alone?" Harry asked.

"Of course." Simon Tam looked affronted at the suggestion.

Harry grinned at him before nodding respectfully at River as was proper. He heard a sigh from Inara, she couldn't really fault his courtesy though she wanted to. "Welcome to the _Prism_." Harry told them. "I'm Harry Ker Tal."

"I'm Simon Tam and this is my sister, River. But since you asked for us by name I don't see why we need worry about formalities." Simon told him suspiciously.

"No need to be discourteous." Harry told him before stepping aside and motioning the two out of the shuttle dock. He followed them into the corridor. As soon as they were all clear he shut the shuttle dock and locked it. "For the duration of your stay here the bridge, airlocks, engine room and a few other places will remain locked to all but myself and my crew. Other than those areas you'll have free reign of the ship."

"You trust us to have such freedom?" Simon asked.

"Would you rather I lock you in my brig?" Harry asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"First option sounds alright." River spoke up for the first time. She'd thus far spent her time staring at Harry, even as she walked.

"Let's go up to the bridge and get this ship up into orbit. I'll let you contact your Captain too since he's probably worried that I shot you straight out of the shuttle." Harry offered and led them up through the ship to the Bridge at the front. Alex turned to look at them and Harry introduced them all.

"This is your only crew? I'm not surprised with you around." Simon seemed pleased with his insult. Alex winced and turned back to the front window and jabbed rather violently at the controls to disconnect the fuel and electrical lines.

"I'd suggest not speaking like that again." Harry turned on Simon with a glare that made the man back up rather abruptly.

"They died." River whispered staring at the back of Alex's head. "He didn't see it."

"River." Inara warned in a low voice as Harry studied her. River, instead of heeding the warning turned to look into Harry's eyes. Harry felt her mind instantly and he let it slip into his own ever so slightly before bringing the full weight of his years against her. Her mind was filled with brilliant white light and she staggered sideways like she was drunk. Simon caught her but Harry simply maintained eye contact before slamming her out of his mind.

Harry had never really been able to bring up shields against intrusion before he'd become a Vampire but after becoming one he'd had other options. The sheer power of a Vampire's mind made staying in one's mind very trying. Harry found that no human, no matter how well trained, could stand staring into his mind for too long. He'd driven a few mortals insane over the years.

"Try that again and I won't force you out." Harry told her with narrowed eyes. If he hadn't forced her out she could have completely lost her mind.

"What did you do to her?" Simon demanded.

"Nothing she didn't deserve." Harry told her. "Alex?"

The upset young man turned to look at Harry and Harry could see the hard expression easily. "Take us up nice and gently and set a course ninety by ninety." The course would take them out directly from the equator.

"Let me show you to your rooms." Harry told them and led them from the room. He didn't speak as he dropped Simon and his sister off at two rooms before taking Inara to the other side of the ship. The ship had four different sections with crew quarters, each with four private rooms. He and Alex shared a quarter and he'd placed Simon and River in another. He took Inara to a third section which used to house Peter and Michelle. He'd yet to clear out their rooms except to bury them with the items he knew they truly loved.

Inara paused as they walked passed the two rooms with plaques on the doors. Harry paused by the room he intended to give over for Inara's use. "How long has it been?"

Harry eyed her but saw only sympathy in her eyes. "Four weeks." Harry told her truthfully. "It took us two weeks to get back to Vetegal."

"And then they tried to steal from you straight away, and had you followed." Inara nodded grudgingly.

"I care very little for their part in the theft. What I don't like is the threat that this promises towards Alex." Harry told her honestly.

She smiled at him gently. "I think I'm beginning to understand your reasons."

"Understand this also then, I will do everything to keep Alex safe. Anything and everything." Harry told her.

"Was it an accident?" Inara asked. Harry tensed and opened the door to her room.

"They were shot by a squad of Alliance Troopers who were trying to arrest me." Harry told her simply before walking straight passed her and back to the bridge. Alex was leaning back in the chair as they drifted through space. Harry had felt the shifts in artificial gravity and vibrations of the engines and hull as they had made their exit from the planet so he wasn't surprised.

"You forgot to let them contact their Captain." Alex told him quietly.

"Damn." Harry sighed. "They pissed me off."

"I know." Alex smiled at him gently. "What happened?"

"River Tam is what mortals call a psychic. She's actually what used to be called a Seer. It gives her certain precognitive abilities but what she just did was look into your mind, probably your surface thoughts." Harry told him. "You were thinking about what Simon said and she picked up on it."

"What happened when she did it to you?"

"She saw something she didn't like. She might be a Seer but she's still a mortal and mortals can't contend with the mind of an immortal." Harry told him. "It's like standing before in the wake of a supernova."

"So she couldn't read your thoughts?" Alex asked.

"People have been driven insane by trying." Harry told him. "Just do me a favour and don't think about me being a Vampire around her."

Alex's eyes widened in horror. "How am I supposed to do that? I'm not going to be able to think of anything else now!"

Harry laughed and reached over to ruffle his hair. "Don't worry about it too much. She can't tell the difference between the truth and random lies in your thoughts. She can witness a scene from your mind but there is no way to tell if it's an actual event or just a dream. Or nightmare."

Alex smiled at him gratefully before turning to the front as the proximity alarms sounded. Harry took the second seat and pulled up the scan information. "It's a Firefly coming up through the atmosphere."

"Not much chance of that not being the _Serenity _then?" Alex chuckled.

Harry opened up a communication with the approaching ship and sent his ship's identity. "_Prism, this is the Serenity. Your move."_

Harry laughed at Captain Reynolds' words before pressing the switch. "Make your course and speed, we'll match it."

"_My people?"_ Reynolds asked.

"Will contact you once we've made formation." Harry cut the connection and nodded to Alex to take the first watch. Alex nodded back and began watching the sensor reports to wait for the _Serenity_ to lay in a course that he could match. "Get things straightened out then get our guests to the rec. room. I'll go make us some dinner."

Harry sighed as he left the room. He hoped this would all go smoothly but he wasn't that stupid. He hoped that he could scare Morbid Mansell into staying away from him or if that failed then just kill him but with what Reggie said about Mansell's involvement with Blue Sun he didn't know if it would be that simple. He shook his head and let his canines grow slightly revelling in being the perfect predator. The top of the food chain.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	4. Sire

Blood in the Stars

Chapter 4; Sire

**Beaumonde**

The _Prism_ came down through the atmosphere gently and Harry deftly guided it in on a plotted course given to him by the control tower at the docks. The _Serenity_ had altered its course to come down on the outskirts of town rather than draw attention. Harry was using one of his alternative names for this run since he didn't want Mansell hearing about his arrival. The _Prism_ was rather distinctive since it was the only one of its kind in the civilian sector but people tended to look at names of crew rather than the ship.

_"Captain __Yenalin__, this is __central dock control. You have open Iris on dock one-two. Confirm lock on target dock."_ A voice spoke up over the radio.

"Yenalin?" Simon frowned.

Harry glanced at him with a look that shut him up before he pressed down on the talk button. "This is Yenalin, confirming lock on dock one-two. ETA is one minute, ten seconds."

_"Received, welcome to Beaumonde."_ The voice told him before the comm. console bleeped to show they were private again.

Harry turned to Simon with a raised eyebrow. "Next time you have a query about a fake identity please restrain yourself long enough till we are alone." Harry had gotten to know the man a bit better in the last week and the man wasn't so bad once you got passed his suspicious nature. Most of his attitude was an inbuilt need to protect his naive younger sister and Harry respected that.

Harry guided the ship down through the open Iris and let Alex help him land the ship smoothly. The ship touched down and Harry cut the Atmospheric Engines and the Gravity Drive. The lights dimmed slightly as the backup power took over the job. "Get us cabled up, Alex." Harry ordered before looking at his three guests. "We'll wait till we are refuelled and then we three will go meet up with your Captain."

Simon nodded before narrowing his eyes at River to stop her arguing the plan. She and Inara would have to content themselves with staying safely on the ship. Harry made a point of locking the control deck securely as the five of them left and soon they'd dropped Inara and River off in the rec. room and Harry, Alex and Simon were armed and walking through the city towards where they'd meet up with Captain Reynolds, Jayne and Zoe.

Reynolds look almost ready to snarl at Harry who just looked at him blandly. "I've locked the _Prism _up for their protection otherwise I'd say you could send one of your crewmates to get them and take them back to your ship." Harry told him.

"Were you treated ok?" Zoe asked Simon.

"He's been the perfect hosts." Simon told her gently. "Make's a pleasant change really."

"Hey!" Reynolds cried even as Harry chuckled. Eventually Reynolds turned to Harry. "I've already received a meeting place and time. We'll have to leave now, he said to meet him out at the Blue Sun facility."

Harry nodded and gestured for Reynolds to lead the way. He nodded and turned down the street. Zoe and Simon walked at his sides with Harry, Alex and Jayne following a few paces behind them as they walked through the city.

Reynolds led them to one of the shuttle ports where they were met by three men that looked more like mercenaries than anything else. Reynolds introduced the entire group as his crew without commenting on their names so that he didn't have to come up with an excuse for Harry and Alex's presence.

The shuttle ride out was quick with a local pilot at the helm and the six of them and their three guards in the cargo space. Harry watched as the Blue Sun research centre came into view. A sprawling network of large domes built in the middle of the desert, the technology of the central planets in the middle of a planet only just classed as a border world.

"At least we know for sure that Morbid Mansell is working with Blue Sun." Alex pointed out loud enough for them all to hear. Harry looked at him and he felt himself frown.

"So what's your plan?" Reynolds asked him bluntly.

"Beyond going in with you I don't really have one. He'll recognise we rather quickly I'd assume, after that you're free to simply leave." Harry told him. "Personally, I plan to have a little look around."

"What's your problem with Morbid Mansell?" Jayne asked. "Did he kill a lover or something?"

"Jayne!" Zoe all but whined.

"Apart from contracting you lot as thieves and then having me followed nothing much but a source of mine looked into this deal he has running with Blue Sun and the Alliance." Harry told them truthfully. "According to rumours, he's been kidnapping people and shipping them to this facility. If that's true I want to know what the Alliance is up to."

"Sound even worse than what they did on Miranda." Zoe hissed quietly to Reynolds though Harry had no trouble hearing the words.

"If it's true this is far worse than Miranda." Harry told her, she jumped slightly at having been heard. "That's why I want to have a look around. I don't like it."

"We'll see when we get there." Reynolds told him carefully. "There might be something interesting we can get our hands on."

"Like a new ship." Alex snorted before he ducked behind Harry as Reynolds glared at him.

Alex was saved from getting his arse kicked when the shuttle landed just outside the facility and they were led out of the room by the previously oblivious guards that had been kept rather bluntly out of their conversations.

One of the guards led them into the facility with the other two following to make sure nobody went 'missing'. They were led through corridors and Harry started to make a few alterations to himself. It wasn't so much a change to his physical appearance but rather a change in people perceptions of himself. It wouldn't work against Alex who knew him so well nor would it work against somebody like Reynolds who knew that he was there but it would make Morbid Mansell overlook him as just another crew mate unless he studied Harry hard enough. It was like an aura of confusion around him, it removed anybodies feeling of familiarity.

They passed a door locked by a fingerprint scanner, retinal scanner and keypad and Harry made a note of it. If there was something important in this place it would behind that door. The office they were taken to was clearly not Morbid Mansell's and Harry didn't actually know the man pacing backwards and forwards in front of the desk. He stopped in his pacing to look at Reynolds with a glare.

Harry had never actually met Morbid Mansell but Reggie had given him photos and they were obviously up-to-date pictures since they matched the man in front of him. Their own three guards blocked the door without a word and Harry eyed them for a moment before moving to Alex's side.

"Captain Reynolds." Mansell sneered. "Either the reports were wrong and you _did_ manage to steal the Orb or you haven't heard what I do to those that fail we. Which is it?"

"We did manage to steal the Orb." Reynolds told him. "But you didn't tell us about the hold its owner has over that planet. We're lucky to have gotten out alive."

"So you are here for what?" Mansell asked. "A second chance?"

"That would be good." Reynolds said carefully.

"Well forget it." Mansell told him. "You're obviously rather an idiot if you thought this would work."

"We'll just leave then." Reynolds suggested and backed up a step.

"Wait a second." Mansell stopped him even though it was obvious he hadn't planned to let them go. "You've got new crew."

Reynolds glanced at Alex and Harry warily. "They're new crew."

"To keep that contraption of yours from falling apart I'm sure." Mansell sneered. "Now, getting back to the point. I need that Orb so I'm willing to give you another shot at getting it."

"Unfortunately, I'm not as willing to let them try it." Harry spoke up.

"What?" Mansell was surprised. "Who the hell are you?"

"I've a third option about why Captain Reynolds would come back after failing." Harry drawled. "Because I told him to."

Mansell moved towards him slowly studying his face. Realisation spread across his expression and he gasped. "You!" He rounded on Reynolds. "You'll die for this!"

"I don't think so, Mansell." Harry told him, his energy pistol was already in his hands. Mansell paled. "Oh, so you've heard about me? Now listen carefully. The three men pointing guns at my back are going to put their weapons away and leave and then we'll have a chat."

"They'll call every man on this base, you'll never get out alive." Mansell snarled at him.

"Of course they will but they won't do anything because they'll be in the knowledge that as soon as we've finished our chat I'm going to leave you alive. If they do anything to stop that I'll kill you and then they won't get paid." Harry sneered. "That's the problem with employing mercenaries, Mansell."

The three mercenaries looked at each other nervously but didn't move to leave. Harry sighed and suddenly his pistol was pointing directly at Mansell's forehead. "Don't you dare leave." Mansell glared at his men who were looking rather nervous.

They eyed each other before turning as one to leave. Mansell snarled and made a fatal mistake. He pulled his own gun and aimed it at the first person he could. Alex. Harry fired before the gun was even a foot from its holster. Mansell jerked back already dead before he hit the floor. His actions had been those of a dead man and Harry didn't want to disappoint. Harry was turning before the mercenaries could realise what he'd done. They paused as they found themselves looking at Harry's pistol. Soon Alex, Jayne, Zoe and Reynolds were all pointing weapons at the three of them.

"He's dead and he won't be paying you." Reynolds said calmly. "Now you three can either die here and still be none the richer or you and your Mercenary friends can do a little raiding of this pretty advanced facility and come out on top."

Harry was impressed at Reynolds skill at diffusing the situation and smirked at the three mercenaries nodded and slipped out of the room. Harry holstered his pistol and turned to check on Alex who grinned at him in amusement. Harry crouched at Mansell's side. "Not much loss here." Harry laughed.

"Were you planning on letting him live either way?" Zoe asked.

"No." Harry shrugged. "I don't give mercy to people that threaten my family and Alex is my family."

"At least you have principles." Zoe chuckled derisively.

"I commend you Captain Reynolds." Harry said as he stood. "You've given me a brilliant diversion. The centre security will have its hands full fighting the mercenaries and I can look around at my leisure."

"Not just you." Reynolds told him. "I'm not wasting this opportunity."

"You want to look around with me?" Harry asked.

"And we split anything we find of value." Reynolds warned him.

"I don't care about anything of value. You can have it all unless I think there's something I want." Harry assured him. "But we'll see."

"Let's get going then." Reynolds told him before turning for the door. Harry nudged Alex gently on the shoulder as they walked side by side down the corridor. Harry stopped the group at the door he'd noticed earlier.

Reynolds studied the door, gave it a solid rap with the handle of his pistol before sighing. He kicked it solidly with his foot and swore. "Well that's not going anytime soon." The human captain sighed.

"You just don't have any imagination." Harry laughed before starting to pat down his pockets. "Crap, I forgot one."

"One what?" Jayne looked eager.

"One of these." Alex laughed at his guardian vampire as he handed him a strip of explosive. "You always forget something."

"Funny, Alex." Harry shook his head. "Give that here."

Alex grinned impishly and pulled the strip back towards his chest. "My explosives, my fun."

"Alex..."

"Nope." Alex shook his head and turned to the door. Reynolds and Zoe tried to cover their laughter but failed in the end.

"Whelp." Harry flicked him on the back of the head even as Alex began sticking a large 'X' across the door. "We'd better move down the hall a bit." Harry said to the rest of them and began walking back the way they'd come. Alex joined them a moment muttering under his breath until he lifted his right hand and counted down from five.

As his fisted his hand they was a small explosion that sent shards of the door flying across the hall. "That was cool." Alex grinned at Harry.

"Oh god." Harry sighed and started for the door. He stepped over the remains of the reinforced door with an air of reckless uncaring but his senses were constantly alert for any movement. Reynolds and his crew checked each of the room as they went but Harry was only interested in finding the man lab and that one would at least have a locked door. They met a couple of Blue Sun scientists along the way but both were left unconscious in a room on their own after Harry punched them both. Obviously the diversion was working since there wasn't a single guard to be seen and the silence of the halls worked in Harry's favour since he could hear every person in them.

Alex nudged his arm and pointed to a locked door at the end of the hallway they'd just turned into. The door had an 'Authorised Personnel Only' sign on the door and had similar locks on it to the first one they'd come to.

"That looks promising." Reynolds muttered motioning them all along.

"Careful, Captain Reynolds, you're starting to sound like a child." Harry commented.

"You're the one that wanted to explore this place and it was you that forced us all to come." Reynolds shrugged. "Locked doors are usually used to keep valuable things locked away."

"Really, Captain?" Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that how you found my Orb? Searched the tunnels till you found a locked door? How skilled of you."

Alex, and even Zoe, snorted. Reynolds looked highly embarrassed. Harry smirked at him before waving a hand at Alex who grinned and chucked the strip of explosives to him. Harry tore off a strip and ran it down the groove between the door and the frame before scratching one of the detonators with a metallic strip. He slowly walked back to the others and motioned them into one of the nearby rooms. He stood in the doorway only ducking into the safety of the room when the door was blown away from the frame. The hinges caught it and it spun around and smacked into the wall before hanging on only one of its original three hinges.

Harry caught a scent as the air settled down but the air was filled with the smell of burnt metal and the explosives so he couldn't work out exactly what it was he was smelling. He let Reynolds lead the way into the room but forced Alex to follow him in case there was something in there that was dangerous. You could never be too careful.

The room was filled with equipment and he instantly saw the cause of one of the scents he had smelt earlier. Two large containers held a liquid in the unmistakable colour of blood. Harry felt his incisors pushing down at his lower lip at the sight of the food and had to concentrate for a moment to retract his sharp fangs, harder since he hadn't fed since they'd left Vetegal almost ten days ago.

He turned to the rest of the room and took in the large windows along the far wall, a glass windowed office to the right and lastly the restrained man pinned vertical on a reinforced cradle that was half a bed and half a prison. He was unconscious as far as Harry could tell, he had closely cropped black hair, sharp features but he was also pale and drawn. It was set up in such a way that it was clear the man had been held in place for a long time. Reynolds was standing in front of the cradle biting his lip while Zoe, Jayne and Simon explored. True to experience, Alex was standing at his side.

"That is _not_ blood." Alex groaned looking at the two glass tanks in horror.

"Er..." Jayne frowned before moving over to them and lifting one of the lids. A small cloud of frosted air vented showing that the blood was chilled and Harry found himself going off of the substance straight away. He hated cold blood. "It's blood alright. Chilled and ready to go."

Reynolds turned to look at it and traced a finger through it assessing it with a critical expression. "It's human."

"That's just not pleasant."

"Cold blood just doesn't have the same draw to it." Harry muttered to Alex who looked at him first in surprise, then horror and finally amusement. "The question is where did they get it, why do they have it stored in here and why is that man strapped to the cradle like Frankenstein?"

"Like Franken...what?" Jayne frowned at him.

"Frankenstein, he was...never mind, forget I said it." Harry sighed. People just didn't hold to the old horror stories anymore.

"I might be able to answer the 'where did they get it?' question." Simon suddenly spoke up from his place staring out of the wall of windows. Harry moved passed the man, his senses told him that the poor man was barely alive. His heart rate was barely above comatose and his breathing was so slow and low Harry wondered whether to even try to rescue him. Alex stopped behind him but Harry paid him no mind for the moment as he moved to the windows and looked down at the huge warehouse floor below them. It was filled with row after row of strapped up humans and Harry felt his heart leap into his mouth.

"Oh god. How?" Harry gasped.

"What?" Reynolds gasped.

"Harry?" Alex asked. Harry turned to look at him. He was holding a clipboard up. "This says he's test subject one. Unique-natural blood specimen."

"Natural blood specimen?" Reynolds frowned.

"Oh god, Alex." Harry's eyes widened. "It's true and I don't understand how."

"You're can't be serious!" Alex gasped and eyed the strapped up test subject warily.

"What are you two talking about?" Reynolds snapped.

Jayne interrupted before Harry could try to come up with an explanation. "Hey, boss, whatever those are down there there's about twenty missing from those cradles."

Harry went pale and turned to them all. "We have to get out of here now."

"Not until you tell me what the hell is going on!" Reynolds argued.

"It's an army!" Harry snapped. "Built to be above humans on the food chain."

Before anybody else could speak there was a sudden burst of movement. The man on the cradle ripped out of restraints and lunged forwards. The cradle cracked as it was forced to spin against its brakes but even as the others turned their weapons on the man he'd gone. He was across the room and lunging at Alex standing on his own not two metres from the cradle. The man grabbed the stunned Alex's shoulders and his head darted forwards aiming directly for Alex's jugular vein and the rich, warm blood there.

Harry was faster though. His own speed showed up the new Vampire and it one smooth blur Harry had his arms around the Vampire's chest. He shoved Alex away even as sharp incisors scratched across his skin. Alex went crashing sideways into the test equipment but he was safe even as Harry spun around with his new captive and with immense and uncaring strength he pinned the man to the wall.

The Vampire snarled at him angrily, his eyes burned a fierce silver and his fangs were bared for them all to see as he kicked and punched at Harry trying to get free. His head darted forwards but Harry held him pinned though he had to use both arms to do it.

"What the fuck is that!?" Jayne gasped aiming his gun, just as Reynolds and Zoe were, passed Harry and towards the Vampire.

"Simon, help Alex!" Harry snapped turning his head only slightly. The movement was all that the Vampire needed though and he writhed in Harry's grip. He managed to gain freedom for only a moment but Harry twisted with him with all the grace of a Vampire Elder and had the man pinned against the floor. Harry pushed down on the Vampire's throat and snarled. His own eyes burned a harsh grey-green and his own fangs hung threatening above the Vampire who went completely still in shock.

Harry knew half of its anger was a need for blood, hence why it had gone for Alex's neck even if that meant turning its back on a room full of armed humans. Its desperation had meant it hadn't killed everybody but one before feeding. All those instincts flew in the face of needing to survive when faced with a more powerful and far older Vampire Elder.

"Oh my god!" Zoe gasped. Harry glanced up at her but she just paled further. "You're like him." They were all backing up except for Alex who was still sitting on the floor with Simon at his side, though the doctor wasn't bothering with the young man's wound.

"It's not his fault." Harry told them passed his own fangs. "They haven't fed him enough and he can smell of your blood."

"You're a... Vampire?" Reynolds managed to croak out. His gun was pointed somewhere between the two Vampires.

"Looks like that old Sergeant of your was right." Harry smirked at him but his eyes were cold and still held the grey tint they didn't normally show. "I'm Harry Potter-Ker Tal. I _should_ be the only Vampire left but they've gone and done something they shouldn't."

A noise made Harry tense and he turned to the door for a moment. "They're coming." The man below him hissed sadly pushing passed his anger at not being allowed to feed. A look of hope passed across his features. "Let me feed and I can help you fight."

"You'll feed on one of these." Harry snarled and tightened his hold. He turned to look at the others. "You need to get out. Don't stop for anything, get outside as fast as you can, find a ship and get off world as fast as you can. Don't stop for anything and take Alex with you."

"Harry!?" Alex complained viciously.

"I'm not having you around this thing and in a moment there will be a dozen similar Vampires flooding the hall. I don't know where they got the blood from but they've changed hundreds in to Vampires which means if you are human when they find you, you are dead." Harry told him before turning to Reynolds. "Please, just take Alex with you and go."

"He's right. If those things are like this one we don't stand a chance." Zoe spoke calmly though she didn't take her eyes off of Harry. "Come on Alex, you'll come with us. We can sort this out in the black later."

Harry nodded at her before turning suddenly to face Alex as he stood and tried to approach. The Vampire under Harry shifted and tried to escape but Harry cracked his head on the ground to stop him before shooting Alex a look of warning. "Remember what happened to your parent's murderers when I found them. I was control compared to what this one is right now." When Alex and the others didn't start running Harry turned his face to look at Reynolds, Zoe and Jayne and snarled like the Vampire he was. "Go!"

They ran for it, Simon pulling Alex along with him. Harry waited for them to be well clear before he eased up on his captive. "I thought I was alone." The Vampire growled at him.

"Stop that!" Harry snapped. "I'm over five hundred! Do I have to bite you to prove dominance?"

The Vampire glared at him and Harry snarled at him showing his fangs clearly even as he pushed down at his shoulders with an Elder's strength. The Vampire slowly shut his mouth and slowly his bloodlust receded and the true Vampire was allowed out. "Are you going to help me?" The Vampire asked after his eyes had turned back into a natural light blue colour.

"If I can." Harry nodded and slowly got off the other Vampire, "You're name?"

"Luke." He grunted and sat up. "I'm so hungry."

"When did they feed you last?" Harry asked and helped him to stand.

"I'm not sure." Luke groaned. "I've been hungry for days."

"Then that cold crap won't help. You'll have to wait." Harry told him. "First priority is getting away from the rest."

"They're not like me." Luke told him. "I thought I was alone."

Harry sighed and shook his head and headed for the door. "How did he get the blood?"

"Blood?"

"The blood to change you into a Vampire. My blood." Harry prompted.

"How do you know it was your blood?" Luke asked. "Isn't there others?"

"I was the only one left." Harry told him bluntly. "Now there are hundreds."

"They didn't tell me where it came from." Luke sighed. "Just that the vat grown blood didn't work the same way. They're mindless."

"And they gave you the pure sample?" Harry asked.

"And regretted it." Luke smirked. "They gave me all of it to make sure it worked but couldn't use my new blood to turn another."

"You're not fully changed yet." Harry told him. "Only once you fully assimilate the blood memories can you use your blood to turn another."

"Blood memories?" Luke frowned. "You mean those nightmares?"

"Their my memories stored in my blood." Harry told him. "It passes on to somebody I turn but I didn't do this on purpose and I didn't order my memories before doing it. So you've got every major event of my Vampiric life in your head. You own mind has to sort it out and remove them. Your Sire is supposed to help to work out the memories, to separate them from your own."

Luke rubbed at his head as a dizzy spell took over his body. Harry caught him under the arm to steady him and Luke gasped out and sagged slightly. "Let's get to the city and I'll find you someone to feed off of."

"Someone?" Luke gasped, looking at him in horror. "A person! I...I can't."

"Then you'll go mad, lose control and wipe whole populations out." Harry shrugged. "It's your choice."

Luke shifted and Harry relaxed letting Luke back him into the wall. Luke's fangs were out again and his eyes flashed silver. "Kill me!" He hissed.

"I can't do that." Harry told him calmly.

"Why not?" Luke shook him slightly. His eyes took on a wild look.

"Because I'm your Sire, my body won't let me kill you." Harry told him.

"Then I'll find someone else to kill me. The people you were with." Luke snarled.

"No." Harry shook his head. "You're a Vampire now. Deal with it."

"I don't want to be like this. I'm a monster." Luke's eyes faded back to their blue colour and Harry shifted their weight again, taking control of the situation even though he really had been in control the entire time.

"We're not monsters, Luke." Harry told him. "Once you've assimilated the memories you'll understand better."

Both of their heads jerked around to look out the door. Footsteps were coming down the hallway again though this time they would come straight towards them. "Please don't let them take me." Luke begged.

"I won't." Harry promised and together they cross the hallway and ducked into another room even as three men in white coats turned a corner and saw the remains of the lab door. Harry listened as they ran back along the hallway. Harry grabbed Luke and together the two Vampires ran silently through the hallways retracing the groups path back to the outside. The shuttle they'd arrived in was gone and Harry could smell the lingering trace of Alex's familiar scent. He'd come out this way and then vanished into nowhere.

"They came this way." Luke frowned. "There's so much out here."

"You haven't been out of that room since they turned you?" Harry asked. Luke shook his head sadly. Harry grimaced and motioned for Luke to follow him towards the docks. He reminded himself to thank Reynolds again since they again didn't run into anyone. A few workers were easily avoided. It wasn't until they stepped into a shuttle dock that they were confronted by a man in his late fifties wearing a well cut dark blue suit.

"Now, now, Luke, you should know better than this." The man sighed and shook his head feigning disappointment. "You can't leave, you'll die without blood."

"There's plenty of blood out there." Luke retorted with a hiss that told Harry his fangs were out. Harry eyed the edges of the room seeing the eight men lining the hall, all with tasers. He gritted his teeth. He could take bullet hits in the dozen but an electrical shock was harder to overcome even if the shots were easier to dodge.

"And you've found yourself a human pet?" The man asked. "How quaint? He's still alive I note, so you didn't drink from him. Perhaps we were wrong about how much control you have when your body runs out of new blood."

"He's not my pet!" Luke snapped. Harry placed a hand on his arm to calm him before taking half a step forwards.

"Who are you?" The man asked him.

"You're the senior researcher?" Harry prompted and received a nod. "Are you insane?"

"What?" The scientist frowned.

"You're a making creatures beyond your comprehension from synthesised blood, they have no morals, they have no control over their thirst." Harry snarled slowly letting his teeth elongate and push at his lower lip. The man paled and stepped back. "You used _my_ blood to create abominations!"

"Stay away!" The man gasped. "You'll never be able to get to me in time. I know his abilities!"

"_His_ abilities?" Harry laughed. "I'm a Vampire Elder. Whatever you've seen him do is but the tip of the iceberg."

"Take him!" The man snapped but even before they could fire Harry was across the room, so fast that even Luke couldn't track him. Harry spun himself and the man around as his arm wrapped around his neck. Luke ran forwards even as Harry ducked back into the lowered ramp of a shuttle avoiding two taser darts. Luke stumbled as he ran into to the cargo bay of the shuttle and collapsed to his knees as a dart caught him in the middle of his back.

Harry smacked his fist into the door controls and the ramp quickly shut. He locked it knowing that it would take more equipment then the men out there had to get to them. Harry threw the scientist into the wall where he slumped to the ground unconscious before Harry crouched at Luke's side and ignored the shock he received from the dart as he knocked it away.

"Luke?" Harry asked. "You need to feed."

"Off him?" Luke looked tired and exhausted and Harry knew that it wouldn't take much to make him eat. "I can't."

"Yes, you can." Harry snapped and yanked him up and dumped him on the ground beside the head scientist. Harry had no intention of letting this man live. He knew too much about Harry to let him go and he obviously was insane to create an army of mindless monsters.

"No." Luke hissed trying not to look at his sleeping prey. Harry grabbed his chin and turned Luke to look at him.

"Just do it, Luke." Harry snapped.

"No! I won't do it!" Luke snapped.

Harry's eyes flashed grey-green and he drew back his lips to snarl at Luke. Luke's own instincts drew out his predatory side and his eyes glared at Harry. Harry reached over and drew a dagger slowly across the scientists neck without letting Luke's gaze shift and saw the exact moment every nerve in Luke's body came alive at the smell of warm, fresh blood. Luke's eyes took on a crazed edge and Harry backed away as Luke lunged.

Harry wouldn't be in the cargo bay when Luke came back to his senses. Harry remembered his own first time, pushed into it by his own biological father when he'd first come back into his heritage. He went up to the control deck and punched in a course to dock them inside the _Prism._

He waited until the shuttle was plummeting through the higher atmosphere towards the city and listened for a few minutes until he heard a strangled sound from within the shuttle. Harry sighed and stood slowly before heading down to the cargo deck utterly silently. He found Luke sat in the corner of the room as far from the dead body as possible. His feet were drawn up to his chest and his face was buried in his knees. Harry sat at his side and gently took hold of one of his hands.

"People always die, Luke." Harry told him softly. The slight hitch in Luke's breathing was the only sign that he'd heard him. "We're a part of nature, Luke, even if you were forced into this. We're just the top of the food chain. It's just a part of the habitat. You were raised to believe that humans were to top of the food chain because they don't like to admit otherwise but that's not true. Vampires were created to be the perfect predators and human blood is what we hunt. That's no different to when human slaughter chickens or cows for food.

"But humans are sentient." Luke didn't look at him. Harry turned and slowly lifted Luke's head so that he could see his face. He'd been to out of control to do things neatly and blood covered his chin. Harry pulled out a cloth and wiped it away keeping his own lust for blood sealed tightly away for later.

"That makes it easier to hunt them, Luke. Cows and chickens don't kill for pleasure, they don't torture or try to conquer others. They don't experiment on another creature to make warriors for themselves." Harry spoke without breaking eye contact with the new Vampire. "Humans have the larger brains, they can reason, they can think and yet there are those that use their lives to cause pain, to kill, to make others suffer. That's why I can hunt them with a clear conscious. I don't expect you to understand instantly, Luke. I've been around for a time but I've been where you are right now. Thrown into the unknown with only the thought that you aren't natural. Luke, will you try for me?"

Luke nodded slowly, his eyes red tinged even as the blue colour burned with new fervour. "Where are we going?"

"Does it matter? We have so many years to consider." Harry grinned at him. "But more short term, I have two of Captain Reynolds' crew locked in my ship and my only crew mate on his ship. We'll get up into the black and get things sorted out."

"How often?" Luke asked, his eyes darting to look at the pale corpse.

"It gets longer for each century." Harry admitted. "You'll need to feed every week whereas I can last four weeks though I tend to get a bit stir crazy by the end of it."

"What about everything else? What should I know?" Luke asked.

"Don't worry about that right now." Harry shook his head. "I'll explain everything to you but for the time being we'll focus on getting away from here."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

_**Prism**_

Harry had taken a slightly delirious Luke with him into a less than respectable tavern in the city centre and drawn out a rather shady looking man that he could sense was the worst man in there. Luke hadn't understood how he'd selected him but Harry had told him it was instinctual when they were hunting for prey. A Vampire could always work out which of the choices would least be missed. Harry had fed quickly and then dragged Luke back to the _Prism._

They walked up the ramp and up into the rear cargo bay. "This is an Alliance Cargo Ship." Luke frowned.

"I bought it off the dock." Harry assured him. "It's mine."

"It's cool." Luke grinned.

Harry studied him for a moment taking in the slightly glint of his eyes, he was still in the adaptation period, liable to massive mood changes, loss of control and blood lust. Harry sighed and took his arm. "I'm going to put you to sleep for a while, Luke. When you wake up your memories will be sorted out and you'll be back to yourself mentally."

"I don't want to sleep." Luke snapped even as Harry pulled him into the corridors above the rear cargo bay and began walking along the long spine of the ship into the forward areas where the quarters, shuttle bays and a smaller cargo bay were. Harry took him to the infirmary regardless of Luke's increasing reluctance. No Vampire liked to be put to sleep but it was the best way to deal with the Change. "You're not putting me to sleep."

"Yes I am, Luke." Harry sighed. "It's the best way."

"No."

"Yes, Luke." Harry narrowed his eyes at him. "Otherwise you might bite the first human to walk in here." And closed the gap and took hold of his shoulders, he leaned in and bared his fangs. "I won't let you hurt Alex."

The anger faded from Luke's eyes and Harry saw a flash of acceptance though it didn't last as Luke's instincts revoked it. Harry had seen it though and reached out to connect their minds for a moment. Luke's eyelids dropped and Harry caught him as he slipped into a dream. He lowered him to the bed and pulled a blanket up over him. He raised the sides of the infirmary bed so he didn't roll out before turning to find his two guests.

They were sitting together in the rec. room eating a late dinner when Harry walked in. Inara shot to her feet. "Where is everyone?"

"We ran into something interesting." Harry sighed before motioning the two to follow him as he turned and walked back out of the room, heading for the control deck. "Alex is with the rest of your crew, they'll meet us up in the Black."

"Interesting?" Inara frowned. River was walking along silently behind them. "Why did Alex go with Malcolm?"

"We have a new guest onboard." Harry told her in way of answer.

"Oh, another hostage?" Inara guessed sarcastically.

"No." Harry shook his head. "He's very dangerous right now so stay out of the infirmary. We ran into a little trouble but everyone is safe."

Harry sat one of the pilots seats and entered the long ignition sequence into the computer. The engines hummed almost happily as they came to life and Harry powered up his communications array to contact the control tower.

"Central control, this is Captain Yenalin of the Intersystem Cargo Ship _Prism_ requesting immediate permission to exit atmosphere." Harry spoke clearly. The iris was already open and the cabling had been disconnecting.

_"This is Central control, permission is granted Captain __Yenalin__."_ The unemotional voice told him. Harry grunted and cut the connection. He grabbed the control joists and gently lifted the ship off the ground. As soon as he was clear of the iris he retracted the landing gear and kicked the atmospheric drives into gear sending the _Prism_ hurtling across the surface as he quickly built up enough speed to alter course to head up into space.

The two women rode out the journey in the comfort of the rear seats and stayed silent the entire time. It was Inara that eventually spoke up as they headed out to a safe distance. "Your guest?" Inara prompted. "He is in the Infirmary? Is he hurt?"

"No." Harry shook his head. "Just resting."

"You are not telling us the truth." River told him accusingly.

"Actually I not lying. I'm just leaving parts out." Harry told them both with a glance over his shoulder at them. "I'll explain everything once we meet up with the others."

"Where are they then?" Inara asked.

"Hold on a second. Scans aren't instantaneous you know." Harry sighed before turning back to the scan screen. Two small craft were making the run from the planet to the moon colony but it was the small cargo ship that Harry took note of. The _Serenity_ was obvious to Harry since he used to have one himself and he could recognise the gravitational effect easily. "There she is." Harry pointed out at the blackness. He was pointing to a star that he could easily see as a ship though the other two wouldn't be able to see that.

Harry plotted a course towards and sat for the journey watching River Tam carefully who seemed to want to play with the control decks in the room. Inara seemed to be restraining her with sharp looks and small movements. As they came into close range the Firefly Cargo Ship came to a complete stop.

_"Prism, this is the Serenity." _The voice was Alex's.

"Hey, Alex."

_"Can you believe it? This thing actually works!"_ Alex laughed.

"That's a rare compliment." Harry laughed back. "Our guest is sleeping in the infirmary ad I'm scrambling communications. If Captain Reynolds wishes to stay here and talk then I'll tether in the _Serenity_ and you can all shuttle across. I'll hide the ships under the dissimulator."

There was a moments quiet before the signal came back alive. _"They're powering down. Get the tethers on and we'll all come over."_

"Shuttle bay three is the only one open." Harry told him before shutting down the connection. He moved the _Prism_ into place above the _Serenity_ facing the same direction. He stopped her about twenty metres clear before firing the eight magnetic tethers that darted through space and stuck to the _Serenity's_ upper hull before going tight and starting to retract pulling the _Serenity_ up closer. Harry opened the buffers on the base hull and let them cushion the _Serenity_ while the large magnetic clamps came to attach the ship more permanently to the _Prism._ The ships now hung together in space with the Serenity nestled up under the branch between the forwards and rear sections of the Hammer Class Cargo Ship.

Reynolds would probably be getting a good view of his ship nestled like a chick in the side of the larger cargo ship. Harry brought a previously dark console on the ceiling to life with a flick of a switch before entering what he wanted. The display scanned the combined ships visible for them showing their gravitation imprint before overlaying it with the larger impression of a rogue asteroid.

Harry stood from the chair and motioned the two ladies out in front of him. He led them through the ship to the only empty shuttle dock where the _Serenity's_ shuttle was already docked. Harry entered the access code and the bulkhead retracted sideways into the wall. Reynolds, Zoe, Jayne and Simon were there once again though now they were joined by their mechanic, Kaylee. Alex grinned at Harry and switched sides to stand next to Harry.

"Inara, River? You'd both better come over here." Reynolds ordered. Inara looked ready to argue for the sake of it but she obviously saw the serious expression and she and River conceded and moved into the shuttle bay. "Are you both okay?" He asked them as soon as they were 'safe'.

"Of course we are, Malcolm." Inara frowned.

"What he really wants to know, Miss Serra, is if I fed from you." Harry smirked slightly.

"Fed from me?" Her frown deepened. "How could he feed from me? Are you some kind of cannibal?"

She looked deeply amused but a victorious look crossed River's face. "He's a Vampire!"

"River! How did you know?" Simon looked at his younger sister with a scared expression as if this proved that Harry had done something to her.

"I'm guessing that Alex just thought it." Harry shrugged.

"Opps." Alex grimaced.

"No matter. I'm sure Captain Reynolds was about to say something similar." Harry smiled at him to say he wasn't to blame.

"Vampire?" Inara narrowed her eyes at Reynolds. "You can't expect me to believe that, Malcolm. He's a perfect gentleman."

"Miss Serra?" Harry asked and she looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. Harry elongated his fangs and knew his eyes had turned their grey-green colour. "I can be both a gentleman and a Vampire I assure you."

Harry chuckled as Jayne and Zoe both reacted violently and swung their pistols up to aim at him. "Don't do that!" Harry snapped and saw them both almost drop their pistols as the compulsion overwhelmed them. They were both strong willed though and regained their aim quickly. "I can kill you both in half the time it takes you to pull the trigger."

"I find that hard to believe." Reynolds told him.

"There are legends about me, Captain. Harry Potter-Ker Tal is a very mythical being. How do you know what I am capable of?" Harry asked. "I have survived the most dangerous five hundred years of human history."

"Perhaps we can be civilised and go discuss this over food?" Alex pleaded to Harry and then turned placating eyes on the other crew.

"Sure." Reynolds nodded. "I have some questions I want answers to."

"You do serve actual food right?" Jayne asked.

"Do I come across as a Vampire, Jayne?" Alex shook his head in amusement.

"No, but then again neither does he unless he looks like that." Jayne nodded his head in Harry's direction.

Harry closed his lips and shrunk his fangs and his eyes turned back to their normal emerald colour. Though he doubted they looked normal to the humans now. His eye colour was a product of being born a Vampire and they were never normal to begin with. "This way." Harry turned and walked out of the door.

"Where is the other one?" Zoe asked.

Harry turned to look at her before taking a different direction at the corridor junction. He led them down a level and to the infirmary. When Simon walked in and saw Luke lying freely on the bed he instantly grabbed River and shielded him. "He's not locked up."

"Do you have a brig, Captain?" Harry asked.

"Well no but he isn't even strapped down." Reynolds frowned.

"He was strapped down before and that didn't seem to stop him." Alex commented before looking at Harry. "Are we safe?"

"You're safe. If he was awake he might get a bit confused and try to feed but only while confused. He still has an aversion to feeding though so once his Change is complete I don't think he'd feed off of any of you." Harry shrugged. "But right now he's asleep and he'll be that way for a week or so."

"Why?" Reynolds asked.

"Because I put him to sleep." Harry explained.

"...why?" Reynolds repeated.

"Perhaps I should explain what's happened to him?" Harry asked and motioned to the others to get a bit more comfortable. They settled around the room though they all kept their distance from Luke and Harry. Alex in contrast came to stand between the two Vampires and Harry smiled hoping that Luke and Alex would get along or he'd have to decide between his duty to the new Vampire made of his blood and his family. "His name is Luke. I don't yet know where he came from but he was put up for this experiment along with hundreds of others. Somehow they got a hold of a living sample of my own blood and injected it into him."

"How did they get your blood?" Alex frowned.

"I've been thinking about that and the only time I can think of was when..." Harry paused and bit his lip as he looked at Alex. "When Michelle and Peter were killed." Alex flinched but nodded for him to continue. "I was shot in the back and I must have bled on the floor. Obviously somebody tested the blood, found out something was odd about it _and_ managed to get it into Luke before it died."

"How long would that have taken?" Simon frowned.

"A couple of days." Harry frowned. "I'm guessing Luke was injected on the planet we were on. Anyway, they gave him all of it so they won't be able to create another like him but they've been synthesising my blood which, while it doesn't create a Vampire like me, it does create something utterly mindless but with a version of our powers."

"And what's happening to him?" Simon asked again. Harry noted he was still protecting River.

"After being injected his body would have gone into shock as my blood converted to match his own DNA and then begun to alter his own blood into Vampire blood. After that it would have turned on his body and Changed him into a Vampire." Harry explained clinically. "The more difficult part is absorbing the memories."

"Memories?" Zoe frowned at him in confusion.

"Vampire blood contains the memories of the Vampire's entire life. When he received my blood and it began to change him it transferred a copy of all of that memory into his own brain forcing him to live through it." Harry sighed. "Normally the Sire would insure this happened peacefully but he was forced to go through it while also being starved and experimented on. That's why he is now sleeping, it allows his mind to run through the memories and sort them into his own and mine. Eventually he'll suppress my memories unless he actively seeks them out."

"That sounds complicated." Jayne winced.

"It's just natural." Harry shrugged.

"There's nothing natural about Vampires." Reynolds narrowed his eyes. Alex twitched and Harry thought he might do something violent. Harry put a hand on his arm to calm him.

"Why do you say that, Captain Reynolds?"

"They're monsters." The human told him in a level tone.

"What makes them monsters?" Harry prompted.

"They feed off of humans." Jayne stepped in.

"So your argument is that because they feed off of a lesser species they are monsters?" Harry frowned thoughtfully.

"Human's aren't a lesser species." Reynolds countered.

"Uh, Malcolm. He's actually got you there." Simon surprised them all by coming to Harry's defence. "A Vampire by definition is a hunter. Designed to prey on humans, they are perfect hunters too. Faster, stronger and more agile, not to mention their immortality. If Vampires don't top humans species wise nothing else could."

"Fine, but I still don't see the point in this argument." Reynolds shrugged. "Even if they are better than humans doesn't mean they can feed off of them."

"We feed off of lesser species." Alex shrugged at him. "We slaughter millions of cattle a year to feed us and we don't let them have a life before we kill them."

"You've killed before have you not, Captain?" Harry challenged. "And for what purpose? Because you were ordered to?"

"For our freedom!" Zoe snapped.

"And what about my freedom?" Harry asked. "I need blood to live but only once a month. I take a life every two weeks to maintain my sanity or I'd lose control at the sight of blood and slaughter whole villages."

"That's what I mean by monster." Reynolds stated victoriously. "A creature that can slaughter an entire village."

"For food, Captain." Harry snapped. "But Vampires are not the only ones in history that have slaughtered. What about the Purge?"

Alex looked at him sharply at the anger in his voice and met angry grey-green eyes. "Purge?" Inara frowned. "I've heard of that somewhere before."

"It's supposed to be the event that forced Harry Potter-Ker Tal to flee Earth-that-was with the first settlers." Reynolds recited.

"The Purge was an outright massacre. A billion people died, Witches, Vampires, Fey even random humans that didn't in properly." Harry was pacing slightly along the edge of Luke's bed. Anger rolling off of him in waves. "And who did that? The worst massacre in Earth history? You're ancestors did. The humans."

"Harry." Alex warned him.

Harry sighed and shook his head to clear it. "I was there. If you want monsters look at your own ancestors who killed because they wanted to and not at me and Luke who have to kill to survive."

"They get it, Harry." Alex told him placing a hand on his back.

"It's getting late." Harry sighed and looked back at the shocked look in the _Serenity_ crews faces. "You're welcome to eat anything that's in the rec. room. Miss Serra and Miss. Tam can show you were it is and your welcome to stay in any of the room for the night. Unless you'd prefer to return to you ship? I'll be setting a course for Vetegal before I go to bed. You can find work there easily enough or you can change course in a few days time to get to Persephone."

"I'll sort them and that out." Alex promised him seeing the exhaustion Harry was feeling.

Harry studied him for a moment before turning back to Reynolds. "This room will be locked so you won't have to worry about this monster waking up and running around the ship."

Reynolds winced but nodded and motioned for his crew to leave the room. Alex smiled at Harry before following them out to get things sorted. Harry turned once he was alone and traced Luke's hairline gently reaching out with his mind to make sure he was okay. He felt glad he wasn't the only Vampire alive and that he'd at least have help in fighting this but that didn't make up for all of those he'd settled with in the first place. He'd give almost anything to be able to bring them back but it just wasn't possible.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	5. Ghouls

Blood in the Stars

Chapter 5; Ghouls

**_Prism – _In the void**

Harry Potter-Ker Tal sat in the pilot seat of his cargo ship. He had his feet up on the chair and his knees tucked up under his chin. His arms were around his legs and it made him look rather small and nothing like the Vampire he was. He'd tried to get some sleep after setting a course to take them home but all he'd gotten for his troubles were a few nightmares of the Purge. Images that he'd never want to see, Hogsmeade Village laid to waist by an Army Special Forces unit, a concentration camp filled with different species, and lastly some of his men dying to give Harry and the others a chance to sneak onto the last of the ships to take off from the surface.

Harry had been sitting in silence for the entire night, almost eight hours, before he heard the sound of the first person moving through the ship. He wasn't at all surprised when he identified the footsteps as Malcolm Reynolds. He ignored the man until he was standing in the open door to the cockpit. "If you want to check on the _Serenity_, Captain Reynolds then you can use the co-pilots chair to establish a computer link."

"How did you know..." He sighed and sat down.

"I've been a Captain of a ship for a long time." Harry told him without looking over.

Reynolds worked for a while and Harry watched out of the corner of his eye at the information coming through the computer. The poor little Firefly wasn't in brilliant condition but it was still intact. It was a while before Reynolds spoke up again.

"How did you and your friends manage to stay hidden on the ships for so long on the way here?" Reynolds asked, turning to look at Harry.

Harry stared out at the stars for a moment before answering. "Obviously we didn't."

"What?"

"Well you've heard the stories that Harry Potter-Ker Tal and his friends travelled here from the Earth-that-was on those ships so we obviously didn't stay anonymous." Harry shrugged.

"So how come you weren't hunted down and killed?"

"We blended in." Harry shrugged. "Rumours spread amongst the ships but they were in transit for four generations and there were millions of people on the twenty ships."

"So you just went about your normal routine?" Reynolds sounded suspicious.

"Most of the time we were just members of the crew. I was Captain of one of them on and off over the eighty years." Harry shrugged again. "There were a few close calls but we dealt with them easily enough."

"Dealt with them?" Reynolds leaned backwards.

Harry snorted. "Not like that."

"How then?"

"We have our gifts." Harry bit his lip before deciding. "Let me show you."

Harry pulled out an old fashioned pen and paper and handed them to Reynolds. "What is this for?"

"I want you to write something on there that only you could have written." Harry prompted. "Just do it, Captain."

Reynolds sighed but did as told writing a long sequence of numbers down on the paper. Harry recognised them as Military ID numbers but didn't comment. There were eight on the paper by the time he'd finished, probably the numbers of the people he'd lost in the war. "Alright, Captain, put it down on the console." He did as told and looked at Harry sceptically.

"What's that going to prove?" Reynolds asked.

"That we don't have to kill to remain hidden." Harry caught his eye and in a split second Reynolds' pupils dilated and his breathing shallowed out. Harry pushed his thoughts into Reynolds' mind but kept it simple, removing the memory of writing the numbers down but not of the reason behind the task. Reynolds would remember being told to write something down but wouldn't remember doing it.

Harry looked away and Reynolds drew in a deep breath and turned to find the paper and pen to write the message only to find himself looking at the numbers. "That's my handwriting!" He gasped. "And how do you know those numbers?"

"I don't." Harry chuckled without humour. "You wrote them about two minutes ago. I simply took the memories of it from you."

Reynolds blinked for a few moments as he took that all in. "So you just wiped their memories?"

"When we had to, yes."

"I suppose that's better than killing them." Reynolds sighed.

"We did kill on those ships, Captain." Harry pointed out, "But only those we had to in order to survive and only those that deserved it. Like we always have and always will. We never take the life of somebody that doesn't deserve to die."

"And Luke will be the same?" Reynolds didn't look convinced. "What do you do if a Vampire doesn't keep to the rules and hunts for pleasure?"

"We did the same as humans." Harry shrugged. "We police our own kind. The humans just decided they didn't want to trust that and took the actions of a few against an entire race. It has been said that we should have retaliated in kind."

"Like how?"

"Humans began wiping out innocent communities of Vampires, Wizards and others like them." Harry pointed out. "Sometimes there was little or no opposition yet they killed everybody. Before we left as the last of our race we discussed serious retaliation as an alternative to leaving. We would have attacked villages and towns of humans to make our point."

"Whole villages?" Reynolds asked.

"We had to shock them into seeing what they were doing. Our first target was already selected. Paris would have been wiped out, one human at a time over the course of a night with no survivors." Harry sighed. "I won't say the decision was easy, there were a lot of us that wanted retribution. In the end we decided to sneak off the planet."

"I think I like that option more." Reynolds said.

"There have been times in the last few centuries where myself and my friends have been on the verge of making a statement like that again. I believe that we have yet again come to that point." Harry sighed. "The Core-planets must see what they are meddling with."

Reynolds leaned back in his chair with an explosive sigh. "Alex is a good kid."

"I know that." Harry laughed and put his feet on the console in front of him.

"What's are you planning now?"

"I'm going to return to Vetegal and stay there until something hits the fan." Harry told him honestly. "Then I'll find out who to go after and put a stop to this once and for all."

"What about keeping yourself secret?" Reynolds asked.

"There's an army of mindless Vampires about to be set upon the worlds, my anonymity is the least of my worries." Harry shrugged. "And in a few hundred years I'll once again just be a story told to new recruits by their Sergeants."

Reynolds laughed. "I've been giving it some thought and I want to help you."

"You're sure?" Harry asked.

"A planet filled with dead bodies is not a planet I can trade with." Reynolds told him with a straight face that told Harry that that wasn't the only reason.

"So you wish to return to Vetegal with me?" Harry asked. Reynolds nodded. "In that case I've got a few spare parts that might come in handy for you."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two weeks later**

Harry stood level with Luke's head in one of the cabins. He'd kept him asleep knowing that if he took him out he'd need to feed and he knew that using one of the others wouldn't be a good idea.

Harry turned when Alex appeared in the doorway. "How is he?" Alex asked.

"He's sleeping now." Harry told him softly and led him from the room. "I'll wake him when we're down on the surface."

"Alright." Alex nodded. "We're only ten minutes out now."

"Let's get up there and send a message to the dockyards." Harry nodded and continued up through the ship. He settled into the seat and turned the Imaging scans onto the _Serenity_ where she lay in the _Prism's_ wake and just to the side. She was sitting happily there, dwarfed by the larger ship. Harry activated the short range communicator and pinged the _Serenity_. "_Serenity_, this is the _Prism_."

_"Hi."_

"River." Harry sighed even as Alex chuckled. "Go get Mal."

_"He's sleeping."_ She told him.

_"No, he is not, River."_ That time it was Mal's, or Malcolm's, voice that came across the speakers. There was a brief pause before he came back on the air. _"What can I do for you, Harry?"_

"I'm about to call ahead to Vetegal. What do you want me to say about you?"

_"Well the only person I've annoyed on this planet is you so I don't see it would hurt to list me in convoy."_ Malcolm pointed out.

"Alright then." Harry nodded. "You'll use dock twenty-eight, in the south quarter of Vetegal's capital. "We'll land in nineteen on the east and meet you at yours."

_"How do you know you'll be given those two?"_ Malcolm sounded confused.

"I own them remember?" Harry laughed and cut the connection.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Shar-bank**

The sound of approaching ships drew the attention of most of the citizens of Shar-bank even if it was just a glance to start with. That soon changed when the _Prism_ was recognised with the smaller shape of a Firefly cargo ship at a safe distance behind it. The two broke apart over the city and the air throbbed within the dock space as the _Prism's_ military grade gravity engines lowered the large ship gracefully into the dock. The iris slid shut above them and locked into place even as the _Prism_ lowered its bulk onto its stilts and then shut down with a high whine.

Harry stretched as he stood and together he and Alex moved back out of the cockpit and down to the underside of the forward section and the smaller cargo bay and access down to the dock below the joining structure of his ship. They were greeted by Grier and Patrick as they stepped off the ramp.

"I take it your trip was to your liking." Grier asked.

"Not to my liking at all, Grier." Harry sighed, still moving. "Get the _Prism _refuelled and purged as soon as you can and then get a team over to dock twenty-eight and have a look at the ship there. Find out what needs doing to it and bring me a list."

"You can't possibly mean that Firefly that landed in there a few minutes ago?" Patrick gaped at him.

"Do you think I'd ask if I didn't want it done, Patrick?" Harry asked without looking at him. "I've got more on my mind then I care to explain right now and I need that ship working as well as is possible."

"That's not all together that well, Harry." Grier pointed out. "But we'll take a look and let you know."

"How long do you need?" Harry asked and stopped suddenly to look at them. Alex walked into his arm and Patrick walked squarely into his father's back with a surprised grunt.

"Give us till tonight." Grier told him. "Eight hours at the least."

"Bring the report to the club then." Harry told him. "Or send Patrick with them. I'll leave word with the guards to let you in as soon as you get there."

Grier nodded and turned to leave, dragging his son away with him. "Are you in a rush, Harry?" Alex asked, taking a hold of his arm.

"I need to wake Luke up today." Harry told him. "With every extra day I hold him under the chances of his coming out of it accidentally rise and I don't want him waking up without me around or he'll lose control and feed off the first person he sees."

"So where are you going?"

"To find somebody for him to feed on." Harry told him bluntly. Alex winced but drew himself up after a few moments. "I need you to go to dock twenty-eight with one of the shuttles and pick up the others and take them to the club. Get Gary to put them up in the rooms upstairs and tell them that I'll meet them all down in the club tonight."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**_Prism_ – An hour later**

Harry hefted the doped form of his latest catch onto one of the beds in the infirmary, mere feet from Luke's still sleeping form. Harry had sensed his tainted thoughts as they passed on the way into one of his rivals clubs and Harry had almost blanched at the thoughts there. He'd almost thought about cleaning up Shar-bank one or two times but it would severally close off his food source.

Luke stirred ever so slightly as the sound of a body hitting the table reached him but although close he didn't manage to break out of Harry's mental restraints. Harry carded his fingers through the slowly growing black hair. It was barely long enough to move with his fingers but as his fingers touched Luke's head the other Vampire leant into the touch, coming further back into the real world at the touch of his Sire.

Harry moved across the room and waited out the final moments of Luke's awakening. The exact moment was clear as Luke's body jerked into action. His eyes snapped open and his instincts took over. He was on his feet in one graceful move and Harry saw the confusion for just a moment as to how he'd gotten into a vertical position. Now, Luke would feel so much more alive, before he'd have been confused and lethargic but now that he'd properly adjusted and sorted out the memories in his blood he was much more attuned to the instincts that came from that blood.

Harry knew that Luke would be thirsty and although he wasn't far enough along to lose his control as soon as he saw the human on the table he closed the gap. His fingers stopped with a jerk mere millimetres from exposing the man's neck and he clenched his fist. Harry slid across the room so silently that Luke didn't hear him and placed his head beside Luke's, resting his hands lightly on Luke's sides. Luke tensed but again his instincts relaxed him at the proximity to his Sire and he sighed out in relief.

"We don't just target any human, we can but we don't." Harry whispered in Luke's ear. "It's part of your instincts to know the worth of a human, to find out the ones that nobody will miss because of the evil they do. We target them because society doesn't want them and thus won't turn against us as easily."

"How do you know?" Luke whispered just as quietly.

"We just do." Harry told him. "It's instinct. This man stands out in a drop of blood on a white wall. You can't sense it without practice with nothing to compare it to but once you feed we'll go out."

Luke jerked and shook his head violently. "I'm not going out there, I'll attack people."

"No, you won't." Harry rested his head on Luke's shoulder to calm him, keeping a steady hold around his waist all the time. "You're no different in mentality now then you were as a human. If you weren't a murderer before then you aren't one now."

"You won't leave me alone?" Luke asked desperately.

Harry tightened his grip. "I'll watch you like a hawk until you're ready. Now, feed, Luke."

"I..." Luke paused before he could refuse and instead of speaking he reached out with his hands and exposed the man's neck. Harry let him go and slid out of the way as Luke let his instincts guide him down to feed.

Harry waited him out patiently and only moved when the body on the table died and Luke straightened up and shuddered. Harry moved around in front of him and waited for the daze to vanish from his eyes. As soon as it did Harry gently kissed him on the lips noting that Luke had maintained enough control that there was no blood spillage.

Luke relaxed into the kiss and after a few seconds Harry pulled away. "I feel..." Luke paused but didn't continue.

"I know." Harry nodded. "Let's go out."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Luke's bright eyes looked suddenly very wary.

"Do you feel like you're a danger?" Harry asked.

"No, but..." Luke looked around. "I mean there aren't any humans around now."

"Then we'll go out and find some and you can assess it then." Harry told him simply and grabbed him by the hand to drag him out if it came to that.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Deserted**

Harry strolled easily into his club with Luke at his side. Luke's eyes flitted across the crowd and at all times Harry kept an eye on him but so far Luke hadn't reacted to the proximity of any of the humans. Harry had decided quite early that he'd only have to worry if somebody started bleeding in front of the new Vampire.

He led Luke to the back of the room and appeared around the corner to see Malcolm, Jayne and Alleyne sitting at the table along with Alex. They each had a drink and it was Jayne that spat out a mouthful when he saw Harry and especially Luke. He was half on his feet with his hand at his side before he realised he was unarmed in concordance with the rules that Harry set for his clubs.

Alex reached up and tugged Jayne back down onto the bench. Harry smiled at him and took Luke by the arm to calm him. "Luke's fed." Harry told Malcolm directly. "He's in complete control and mentally he's the same as any of you."

"If you say so." Malcolm eyed the new Vampire for a moment.

"I'm sorry for what happened in the lab." Luke sighed and hung his head. "It wasn't me."

"It looked like you." Jayne snorted.

"But it didn't feel like me." Luke looked up at Jayne. "They starved me and did experiments on me for weeks in a row at times. There's nobody who could take that and not go mad."

"You admit to being mad then?" Malcolm asked. Harry bared his fangs at him in a deft movement but for the first time Malcolm didn't flinch. Harry ran a tongue over his lips and shut his mouth when he saw that it was only curiosity that had fed the question.

"I'm not mad unless you take away what I need." Luke admitted.

"Just like a human goes mad when they're starved." Alleyne spoke up with a nod. "They're not so different to you or me, boss."

"Tell that to him once you see me in action." Harry said darkly before pausing as one of the waitresses dropped a round of drinks on the table for them. "Now if you want monsters we do have several hundred of them in the Alliance's control."

"You're only talking about hundreds, they can be dealt with surely." Alleyne pointed out.

"It's the intention we should be worried about." Luke suddenly straightened up as they touched on the Alliance's intentions. "I was an officer in the Alliance after all. If anybody knows them it's me."

"That's right, he _is_ an Alliance officer." Jayne narrowed his eyes. "Why should we trust him, if he's just as he was before...?"

"A Vampire's loyalty is always to his Vampire kin. After that to other Vampires and magical creatures over humans." Harry spoke up.

"So because he's a Vampire with your blood he can't betray you?" Alleyne asked.

"Unless I betray him for some reason." Harry shrugged, "But not many new Vampires survive a Blood-Cutting."

"A...what?" Alex asked.

"If I betray him." Harry shrugged and squeezed Luke's hand to show he wasn't thinking about it.

"The point," Luke spoke up louder, "is that the Alliance wouldn't be creating things like that just to guard facilities, it's creating an army."

"A small army." Jayne pointed out.

"One that can't be killed by just shooting at them." Alex pointed out.

"Maybe they wouldn't be so bad on their own." Luke sighed. "But with the large scale mobilisation of the Alliance Fleet it could be."

"Luke could be right." Harry sighed. "Except that even a couple of hundred part-Vampires could be deadly. Released on an un-prepared world they could wipe them all out."

"So what do we do?" Malcolm asked.

"Think about whether you really want to be involved." Harry told him and rose. "Tomorrow I'm going up to Vet-One to speak to an old accomplice, if you want to help in this then be at Dock nineteen tomorrow at eight am."

"Where are you going?" Luke asked worriedly.

"I need to go chat to some people in the city-guard." Harry told them all. "People that run it and that work for me."

"You're going to leave me here?" Luke asked.

"It won't take me long." Harry promised him. "And Alex will look after you and Jayne isn't likely to let you get into trouble."

"I..." Luke bit his lip with normal teeth. Alex took his arm and squeezed it.

"Alex will take care of you." Harry told him. "Just relax."

Luke nodded and Harry turned and cast a stern and hard look at Malcolm, Alleyne and Jayne. "If you do anything to him you'll find out just how I came to own seventy percent of this city."

Alleyne nodded at him while the two men just stared at him in surprise. Harry turned on the spot and vanished before they could even see him move. Nobody on the dance floor saw him as he slipped through the crowd and out into the night life of this district of Shar-bank.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Vet-One – The next day.**

Vetegal One was a major transport hub for Vetegal. A lot of cargo shippers preferred to go without entering atmosphere especially if they had older ships and a moon with less atmosphere was always preferable. They'd have smaller shippers handle transporting their goods to the planet's surface if they couldn't sell them there. Then there were the classes of ships that didn't have atmospheric drives at all.

Today, five ships had arrived at Vetegal One to offload both human and physical cargo and the place was busy with activity to the point that twice Harry had to shove somebody out his way. He didn't have to do it often though since Harry, Luke, Alex, Malcolm, Alleyne and Jayne looked rather formidable.

Harry walked into Reggie's business front and straight passed the women that sold the odd trinkets that Reggie made money from. She tried to stop him when she realised he wasn't going to ask for permission but he ignored her. He walked straight down the corridor and up the stairs and into Reggie's office with the others, including a laughing Alex, close on his heels.

"Harry!?" Reggie yelped from behind his desk before relaxing and letting the gun drop from his hand onto the desk. "You know better than to barge right in. I could've shot you!"

"Or you could've tried and I could've shot you." Harry pointed out. "Plus I thought Alex needed cheering up."

Alex snorted in amusement but didn't say anything. Reggie sighed. "I was actually going to call you this morning. I got an interesting job put forwards to me yesterday."

"Interesting?" Harry asked.

"To either do or find somebody to do." Reggie sighed and stood up and put his energy pistol in his holster.

"Did you take it?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Heavens no!" Reggie laughed. "They weren't offering enough to make it worth my while. Too much risk involved. That's what I told them anyway, it's not just that though. I don't take hits from the Alliance."

"Since when do the Alliance order hits?" Malcolm asked.

"They didn't exactly say it was them but I can get through their fronts easily enough." Reggie told him in a where-the-hell-did-you-learn-common-sense tone of voice. "They were paying eight million though."

"And you didn't take it?" Jayne asked before shutting up when Malcolm glared at him. "I know we don't do that kinda thing boss but you could buy a new ship for that!"

"What's wrong with my ship!?" Malcolm asked dangerously.

"It's a Mark 3 Firefly cargo conversion." Reggie shrugged. "What isn't wrong with it?"

"I told you Reggie was the best." Harry spoke up when Malcolm started looking ready to fight a war. "And he didn't accept it because the hit was me. You're welcome to try, Jayne, but you won't even get that pistol out of your holster before I could kill all three of you."

"That's why the risk is too high." Reggie spoke up. "Besides dear old Harry is like a father to me."

"You have no idea!" Jayne scoffed.

Reggie gave him a sharp look of curiosity but returned his attention to Harry. "I heard you killed Morbid Mansell and were seen at the labs he was working with. Not two hours after you killed the head scientist and left the planet an Alliance Cruiser entered orbit and the whole place was swarming with troops hauling stuff out into drop ships."

"That's a bit extreme." Harry sighed.

"Whatever they were doing in there must have been important." Reggie was eyeing Harry but then shook his head. "I'm guessing you saw what."

"You might as well know, Reggie." Harry sighed again and sat on one of the chairs. "Luke is what they were researching on."

Reggie's eyes snapped to the only person in the room he hadn't seen a record of. "And what were they researching?" Reggie asked.

"They were trying to create an army from my blood." Luke spoke up bluntly.

"Your blood?" Reggie's eyes widened. "The Orb? Oh god!"

Reggie backed away and Luke flinched. Harry stood up. "Luke is a Vampire, Reggie. So am I but I get the idea you knew that in your heart all along."

Reggie went slightly pale but the colour came back and he nodded in relief knowing that he'd been proven right again. "Why?"

"Why were they doing it?" Harry guessed. "I don't know exactly. I'm hoping you can tell me."

Reggie took a few worried turns around his desk before smacking the holo-disk switch. A mess of squiggles formed above his screen and he sat down to log on. He opened a few files before finding what he wanted. A large image of an Alliance Super Carrier along with two Cruisers.

"What's this?" Malcolm asked.

"The obvious?" Reggie suggested primly before highlighting one of the Cruisers. "This is the ship that picked up what I'm guessing now is the army of Vampires from the planet. It met up with the _Antaris_ and her escort a week ago and has been heading towards Serenity ever since."

"Serenity!?" Malcolm gasped.

"They aren't Vampires, Reggie." Harry sighed. "Vampires wouldn't be so bad, they can be reasoned with and have morals. These are Ghouls, they live in a state of blood-lust and follow the orders of those that created them."

"Serenity's not that far away." Alleyne put in. "We could get there in only a few days."

"And do what?" Harry turned to her, baring elongated canines that he saw Reggie eyeing out of the corner of his eyes. "Fight two Cruisers and a Super Carrier?"

"Plus four Destroyers." Reggie put in helpfully. "They're heading from orbit around Persephone where they've been for the last month."

"An attack fleet." Harry shook his head. "The _Prism_ is advanced but nowhere near strong enough and I don't have time to collect anything larger."

"Collect?" Malcolm asked.

"I have something but even that isn't a match for something the size of a Carrier and it's escort."

"But if we intercepted the Carrier before it reaches Serenity?" Malcolm asked.

"What are two cargo ships going to be able to do against them?" Alex asked. "I say we get together what ships we can get a hold of here and send word for them to start evacuating. We can get there, load up and get out before the Fleet arrives."

"Alex is right." Harry sighed. "We can't fight that force, all we can do is get as many out as possible before they arrive."

"How are we going to get ships?" Malcolm asked. "I could get a few from friends but not in time except for those already on Serenity."

"Get word to them to load up as many as they can and travel to Vetegal." Harry told him. "I can get several hundred ships within the day."

"From the city-owners?" Alex asked. Harry nodded.

"It's been several hundred years since I've done something this crazy, perhaps it's time again." Harry sighed. "Let's bring Harry Potter-Ker Tal back into the limelight."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	6. Stepping up

Blood in the Stars

A/N; Sorry this chapter isn't as long as I normally strive for but I've only got two weeks before I leave for a few months and I wanted to get a few chapters up for you all to read. I point all of your attention to the new section on my profile page.

I also draw your attention to the summary. For those that keep insisting on asking me if this is going to be a Harry/Zoe story then please read the word Slash in the summary and profile bio. I might sometimes write stories with no romance but I never write heterosexual relationships for my main characters.

Chapter 6; Stepping up

**_Prism_ – above Serenity**

Harry let Luke ease the ship between six other ships while the decelerator drive shut down as they reached a speed they could safely enter the atmosphere. Harry glanced over the sensor readings and noted the statuses of the other six ships leaving the atmosphere. He pinged them all. "This is Captain Ker Tal of the _Prism_. What is your status?"

"_Your message was received."_ A voice told him. "_We're the only ships that were available and we are filled to capacity with women and children. Are you here to help?"_

"We'll take everyone we can, I've got every available ship on my tail from Vetegal. Plot a course there at full speed, once you're out of long range scanners reduce speed to seventy-five percent trade speed and we'll meet up with you." Harry told them.

"_The population is gathering at ten different locations along with all the supplies they can manage." _The man told him. "_I'm sending you the locations."_

"See you out there." Harry told him and shut off the comms system.

He turned the long range scanners on behind the ship and it quickly swept across the one hundred and thirteen ships on their trail with the _Serenity_ right in their wake. By estimates they'd have enough space for everyone on the planet but it was supplies that were the problem, the _Prism_ had enough and most of the others did too but some of the ships had been taken out of Vet-One and they hadn't had the time to fully store the supplies needed to take on hundreds of extra people.

Harry set a course for one of the drop off points before designating landing spots for the rest of the rescue ships and spreading the locations to them all. Luke handed the ship over to Harry since he'd never witnessed the ship entering atmosphere before and Harry notified Alex that they were ready to enter atmosphere so the engineer was ready for the atmospheric boosters to kick in.

The ride was gentle and Harry set the ship down just on the outskirts of a large town before cutting the engines and standing up. Luke stood as well and the two walked down through the ship and into the forward bay, the smaller of the two. He popped the hatch and it lowered down to become the ramp. As he walked down onto the sandy ground below he saw the middle hatch opening towards them and also the rear one at the back of the ship under the engines creating a clear route up and through the rear bay, the larger of the two.

Harry looked up past the thinner section of the ship that linked the two sections to see the sky, filled as it was with streaks from the other ships entering the atmosphere. A high whine from the right made him and Luke turn to see the _Serenity_ landing in the space beside the _Prism_ and Harry was reminded just how large his ship was in comparison to most others.

Harry took another look around and saw the huge crowd coming from the town as well as a dozen or more large hover crates packed with boxes. "Are you alright?" He asked Luke as both of the Vampires caught the smell of so many people. Luke nodded at him and Harry took assurance in the confident nod. It had only been a few days since he had last fed in Shar-Bank and unless he actually saw fresh blood Harry knew he wouldn't be a problem. By the time they got back to Shar-Bank the situation may be slightly different. A new Vampire needed to feed at least every ten days to retain their sanity and he needed to stay away from normal food or he'd become ill. Whenever a Vampire took in human food it assumed it would be blood and reacted badly when it realised it wasn't and it took many decades before Luke's body would become accustomed to that disappointment.

The _Serenity_ settled down onto its supports and the rear bay opened up and Malcolm, Jayne, Zoe, Kaylee and after a moment Inara, Simon and River walked out. Harry almost laughed when Jayne laughed after looking up at the huge hull of the _Prism_ and then at the small Firefly model.

"Her capacity is about three hundred and fifty thousand cubic metres in comparison to your fifteen thousand." Harry told Jayne, ignoring Malcolm's offended look.

"You think you could fit the _Serenity_ in there?" Kaylee asked with a smirk at her Captain.

"Alright, alright." Malcolm groaned before pausing as a trio of ships burst overhead and settled down nearby, a total of eight ships would land here and once they took off they'd call for one of the standby ships if there were any refugees left behind. "Don't we have work to do?"

"Captain Reynolds is right." Harry nodded. "I could use a couple of people to help take on refugees into the _Prism_. I don't..." He trailed off.

"Have the crew." Malcolm spoke quietly and nodded. "Jayne, take River with you and help Alex with the larger cargo bay. Zoe, help Harry and Luke with the small one."

"Small?" Zoe grinned.

"Smaller." Malcolm glared at her.

"I agreed with the other six Captains to use my number two bay for the elderly or injured. Doctor Tam, if you'd like to use my sick bay for the journey back to Vetegal you can come with me now and keep an eye on the infirm as they come in." Harry offered.

"That's not a bad idea." Simon nodded and after glancing at Malcolm made his way back inside the _Serenity_ for his supplies. The group split apart from there just as the last three ships landed completing a semicircle of ships with the opening towards the approaching refugees and the _Prism_ in the centre, turned slightly to the side since she was the only one of the ships with a forward cargo bay. The other six cargo ships were from the other owners in Vetegal, whether from Shar-Bank or from one of the other six major cities and all were slightly larger than the _Serenity_ but about half the size of the _Prism_. That was mirrored in the other groups of ships landing around the city and only eight of the ships even came close to the _Prism_ in size with the largest being an old converted bulk ore transport that was slightly larger than the _Prism_.

As the semicircle filled with people Harry pulled out his control unit for the _Prism_ and selected one of the many options after letting it scan his DNA. Eight panels in the _Prism's_ hull slid in and sideways to bare eight speakers built into the inner hull. "Remain calm." Harry started speaking, letting his voice repeat from the speakers. "We have enough space for all refugees, stay with your families if possible and make your way up any of the cargo bay ramps. Any supply shipments please leave in the centre of the area to be loaded last and any infirm, injured or ill please move towards the forward section of the largest of the ships. Only the infirm, injured or ill for now."

Harry cut the connection and left Luke, Simon and Zoe to sort out the injured or ill into the number two bay before checking on the crowds of people slowly moving up the ramp into the main number one hold which looked vast and rather daunting in its emptiness. The only thing that broke it up was the cargo layering that sat five deep across the way on movable mechanisms to accommodate all kinds of cargos. The uppermost level held a full cargo of supplies whereas the rest were empty. Alex, Jayne and River were guiding people inside and making them spread up onto the second to top level first so that they could get in as many people as possible. Harry's ship was limited by the weight it could take but humans didn't weigh that much in comparison to some cargos so he wasn't incredibly worried but they had to be placed in a balanced way or his exit from the atmosphere could be rather rough for them.

The _Serenity_, since it could only take a much smaller number was kept empty for once the other ships were reaching capacity or they'd fill it within a few minutes and be left with nothing to do and the refugees could become restless and Harry knew from hundreds of years worth of experience that people who thought they were in danger might do something to try to get out of it.

He made his way to the centre where the other Captains were gathering with the arriving supply crates and the small group all looked at him. Harry was used to such things and he knew the respect he inspired from people that knew him and his reputation. "I've got enough supplies for the number I can hold." Harry told them simply.

"I didn't manage to get hold of much before we had to leave." One of the others told them and Harry listened as they all reported their amounts. Harry already knew of Malcolm's needs.

"If any of you have spare crewmembers send them over to split up the supplies." Harry told them once he'd worked it out in his head. "Don't worry about what's in the crates, we can sort that out later. You all have pod capabilities?" He received a round of nods. "I've got three pods and a spare pod bay and the _Serenity_ has one pod and a compact bay spare."

"That ship's so small why did we even bring her?" One of the Captain's asked though it seemed to Harry that he wasn't really insulting her, only wondering.

"Because one of her crew is a fully qualified Doctor and three more are trained fighters with two of them being old Browncoats." Harry said simply. "She'll need one of these if we end up loading her with anything more than a couple of dozen but I'd like to keep her a little freer because laden like this the convoy is going to be slow and I've given orders to the other groups to try to leave the smaller ships free to be scouts for us."

"We'll split the rest up." One of the Captains nodded and glanced to his own ship and waved at some of his crew.

Harry glanced around as the Captains made their way back to the ships and noted the lessening light, especially in the east, where the refugees were coming from, where the horizon was becoming rather dark. Harry headed to the _Serenity_ and found Malcolm there. "Who's a pilot in your crew?" Harry asked. "One that can fly a pod?"

"Zoe, Jayne or River could handle a pod easily enough." Malcolm told him. "Why?"

"I want one of them to take one of my pods west to check for stragglers and have a guess at how long this will take." Harry told him. "I'll send Zoe, she's probably the best to work that out."

"What about my ship?" Malcolm asked.

"They're bring over a supply crate for you but as I said in space, we'll leave you empty until we need to use you. To be honest I'd like to steal a few of your crew in that case." Harry sighed. He hated not having a crew.

"I was thinking that three of you wasn't enough for that number." Malcolm nodded. "Even with the Doc's help."

"They'll probably be around ten thousand in the _Prism_ by the time she's filled and I can't rely on Alex and Luke to watch that number of people, especially Luke." Harry paused. "If this takes more than six days I'll have to start worrying about him around so many people if you get what I mean."

Kaylee, who had been listening in, went slightly white. "If I don't take on anybody then you can have everybody minus myself and Kaylee. I need my engineer in case something goes wrong."

"Thanks." Harry nodded and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry again for your crew, Captain." Malcolm told him. "I met them and they were a good pair."

"It's Harry." Harry told him. "And thanks. It never gets any easier."

Harry took Zoe up to one of the pods and she launched quickly before scouting out to the west while Harry headed back to his main bay to check on the refugees. "How long, Alex?" He asked his engineer.

"About four hours at this rate." Alex told him. Harry used the next half an hour to check with the other ships to find that they'd be done in about the same time since they could only load as fast as their bay doors allowed.

Just as he was getting back to his ship his remote bleeped at him, telling him he had a communication coming from the pod. He accepted the call. "Zoe, what have you got?"

"_The line goes back about three miles to their staging area. There are still land speeders arriving there but the local militia aren't allowing them to use the speeders to get to the ships."_ She told him. "_At least they've got some sense."_

"Ignoring any new arrivals, how long until we take up everyone already here?" Harry asked.

"_A couple of hours. They're moving as fast as the loading will allow and there's no sign of panic."_ She told him.

"Well, that's a good thing at least. Stay up there as long as you can and tell me if anything changes. Hopefully we shouldn't need to use the _Serenity_ for refugees and your Captain has loaned me you, Jayne, and the Tams to help on the _Prism_." Harry told her.

"_Roger that."_ She agreed. "_I've got another couple hours of fly time."_

"I'll open access to the refuelling slot near the stern of the _Prism_. Use that when you need to refuel." Harry paused. "How are they doing for light in the west?"

"_They're okay for now, but they'll be getting dark soon."_

"Let me know and I'll send some flares their way." Harry signed off and transferred the signal to the long range one, relaying through the orbiting ship, Reggie's own ship, with some of the best sensor and communications gear in the cluster. "_All ships, all ships, this is the _Prism_. Estimated time for group one is four hours till total loading. Report final load times for each group."_

Harry didn't wait for a reply, knowing that Reggie would relay the message to the other groups and relay any reply to Harry's ship. He found his way back to his forward bay where Simon was checking everybody who claimed to be suitable for the cargo bay and letting Luke and Kaylee, who had come over to help after Harry had stolen Zoe, to take them inside and find them space. They'd bring cots from storage once they were all in. Harry saw a problem as soon as he arrived, Luke was starting to look rather pale and Harry sighed. He'd known that with so many injured people around Luke would start feeling his instincts tugging at him to feed and even though Luke was strong enough now, having fed recently, to resist it he decided to give him a break. "Luke." Harry stepped up behind him and put his arms around his waist to soothe him. "Go to the _Serenity_ and get a breather."

"I'm sorry, Harry." Luke sighed in defeat.

"It's not your fault, all new Vampires have trouble around large crowds of hot and sweaty humans." Harry whispered so that nobody could hear his words. "I knew you'd have a time limit around so many bleeding people and it's best you get a break."

Luke nodded and Harry let him go. "What's wrong?" Simon asked him a moment later once Luke was heading towards the _Serenity_ and Malcolm started talking to him. Harry saw Malcolm look up in search of him and nodded to the other Captain who guided Luke into the back of the ship.

Harry finally turned to the waiting Doctor. "I might have to get Luke to stay on the _Serenity_ for the trip back. Being around so many bleeding people will test his restraint."

"We can keep him away from the bay right?" Simon asked, looking nervous.

"After a few hours the entire ship will be laced with the scent of blood from so many people. He'll be able to fight it but after a few days he won't be able to forget about it for even a moment." Harry told the doctor simply. "I can completely isolate that part of my mind but I've had hundreds of years to perfect that."

"Oh..." Simon bit his lip gently. "I'll get back to work."

Harry chuckled at his retreating back and went to helping Kaylee settle the wounded inside. About half an hour later he got a call from Zoe asking for more light and he made his way up to the cockpit to program the ship's lights and flares, he lit up the hull with docking lights that spread across the area and were soon joined by the other ships, creating light all around the loading area even though it was only just getting dark. He then launched a series of hover flares that rocketed up into the sky from the sides and top of the _Prism_ and arched away to the west at different intervals leaving a trail of bright lights that helped the refugees in the gathering darkness.

While in the bridge he received a series of relayed messages from the other groups. Most would be done within a couple of hours and it would be Harry's group and one other that were last off the ground. He sent them all a message that they'd leave orbit in four hours time and once they were loaded to check for stragglers and then take off, leaving one ship at each area until Harry sent a final message in case anybody arrived. Harry doubted there'd be many stragglers since his warning to Serenity had been simply and persuasive. Leave or be killed by a new biological weapon that the Alliance planned to test on them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few hours later**

Harry watched as the last of the cargo ships shut its bay doors and the pod docked with the front half of his ship. His forward door was the only one now open but it closed after him. He made his way through the bay and up to his cockpit where he found Zoe waiting for him. "Nothing else?" Harry checked.

"I used the motion and heat sensors on the pod, there isn't anything moving out there larger than a dog." Zoe told him. "All the other Captains just reported in, they're powering engines now."

Harry nodded and sat down in the pilot's chair and Zoe helped herself to the co-pilot's seat. Harry keyed in the security codes and then the engine start up sequence and with a rumble his engines kicked in. "Mind using the intercom?" Harry asked and Zoe nodded as Harry did a series of pre-launch checks.

"Welcome onboard the _Prism_, your conveyor to safety." Zoe announced and her voice could be heard all over the ship. "We are just warming up for takeoff. Please be seated and hold onto anything you can, this may be a slightly bumpy ride."

Harry nodded to her and used the radio. "All group one ships, follow me in landing order." He told them referring to the order that they'd set down. "Reggie, do you read me?"

"_I hear you, Harry. The last group is just lifting off now, one more group exiting, the others are in orbit."_

"Understood. Lifting off now." Harry hit the thrusters and with a shake the boosters kicked in under the hull and the ship jumped a metre off the ground before settling on the thrusters. Harry steadied her and used the atmospheric boosters to accelerate away from the horseshoe. "Keep an eye on the other seven ships on the sensors and let me know if anything goes bad." Harry told Zoe.

She nodded and watched the equipment as the _Prism _sped up as Harry slowly angled it up into the air, keeping the change in ascent angle steady so as not to shake around the unrestrained humans in his cargo bays. "They're all at escape speeds." She told him after a minute or so and Harry acknowledged her by pulling back on the sticks and sending the _Prism_ straight up into the outer atmosphere, there was a moment of occlusion as the cold air hit his cockpit viewers before the view went dark and the stars appeared. Harry turned in a languid curve to align with the orbiting convoy and his eight ships quickly settled in with the convoy of over a hundred ships of all sizes.

"Reggie?" He asked into the communications network.

"_Roger, Harry. That's all ships and a wide sweep of the planet from the orbiting convoy shows only a small group of people who want to stay."_

"Idiots." Harry snapped even though his voice was broadcast. "Never mind, we can't force them. All ships vector out on the trail of the previous evacuees."

Harry stayed in orbit as the hundreds of ships broke away from orbit and formed up into a huge convoy and slowly sped up. "Why are we waiting?" Zoe asked and Harry noticed that the _Serenity_ was right next to him, staying with him.

"I'm leaving the Alliance a small surprise." Harry told her before opening a narrow beam communication with Malcolm. "Captain Reynolds, start after the convoy.

"_What are you going to do?"_ He asked in response.

"You'll see." Harry told him simply before slowly breaking from atmosphere. He set the ship on the course he wanted and spun his seat to the left consoles, his defence console. In a matter of moments his weapons bays, under and above the ship were unlocking showing row upon row of small but powerful mines. The ship started to disperse them in a spread out pattern.

"Mines?" Zoe asked.

"Should be fun." Harry grinned at her.

"How many?" She asked.

"About five thousand." He told her. "They range in size between a beach ball and a fist but they're top of the line. The Alliance won't see them until they start exploding against their ships. I'm half tempted to stick around and see what happens to them."

"Will they be able to go around?" She asked.

"Probably but they won't be able to see a clear route and they won't expect any backwater world to be able to deploy such a large minefield." Harry laughed as the last set of mines were blown from the ship. He turned the ship and left the area and once clear the mines activated and Harry showed Zoe a hologram in the centre of the console showing the dispersal around the planet to block any possible Alliance approach.

He started out after the _Serenity_ and the rest of the convoy but did one last thing before going. He'd recorded a message and set it into a sensor/relay drone. A message for the Alliance when they arrived. It launched from the top of the forward hull and activated quickly. It would relay the message anytime a ship's active sensors hit it which meant it played straight away but Harry didn't mind.

The _Prism, Serenity_ and all the other ships heard the message as it played. "The final stage for the great story of humanity has been constructed and the players have been enlisted. The Purge is once more upon us as the final step of the great exodus from our planet Earth is around us. Six hundred years have I watched humanity from amongst you and you have failed once more. I, Harry Potter-Ker Tal, to the Union of Allied Planets: Know that your time is coming to an end. You should never wound that which you cannot kill and you should never create that which you cannot control. The creatures you have created will be your undoing for I will not tolerate them. Make your choice now, turn away from Serenity and destroy your army of abominations or be destroyed by your own hand or by mine. By wounding me, by creating another like me against his will, you have declared war. War on a being older than space travel and with powers beyond your wildest dreams. Turn away from this war or in three months from the escape of your first creation I will come for you and all will know of the war you are attempting to wage. I, to the men, women and children of the Alliance: Beware."

Harry smirked as the message finished before repeating itself after thirty seconds and turned to look at a gaping Zoe. "Should be interesting."

"Especially since if they don't heed your warning they're going to fly straight into a minefield." Zoe told him making Harry burst out laughing.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Vetegal**

The _Prism_ settled into low orbit as the atmosphere over Vetegal burst into trails of entering ships, all heading to the different cities. The _Prism_ was one of the last to settle down into orbit heading for the largest of the docks in Shar-Bank. He'd monitored the radio traffic between the ships with his own ship's advanced spying systems and knew that most believed him to be who he claimed to be. Whereas the rumours of Harry Potter-Ker Tal were uncommon on most of the planets in the cluster, on Vetegal it was another story. Along with Harry's fame on his own planet the rumours of his namesake were almost as common and it had always given Harry a little bit of extra weight on the planet. He knew that by the time he landed half of the planet's population would know about the message he'd left behind.

The ship settled down onto its supports and the engine had only just died when the dock crews were attaching the support lines. Harry opened both of the bay doors from the bridge before heading down through the ship to see to the unloading of the nine thousand four hundred and fifty two refugees on his ship. It was going to be a very long day.

He was just walking through the crowd when his remote bleeped at him. He ducked into the dock's office and opened the communication to find himself looking at Reggie. "_Harry?"_ The picture gave him a real time image of his friend. "_I've picked up something strange."_

"Define strange." Harry asked knowing his friend could see him as well.

"_I missed it on the way home but there's a signal being sent back in the direction of Serenity."_ Reggie told him. "_It's encrypted and it's coming from the _Prism_."_

"A spy?" Harry asked.

"_Probably a plant from the Alliance in advance of their attack."_ Reggie told him. "_I'm trying to crack the encryption but it's going to take me time. You need to cut the connection from the source."_

"I'll track it down." Harry told him and cut the connection before opening a secure signal to Luke and Alex's personal remotes. "Guys, we've got a spy on the ship. Luke, I hate to do this to you but trust your instincts and monitor them all just like I showed you with the hunting. Concentrate on finding a spy that was willing to be the key to genocide and you'll find him. Alex, tell Jayne, Zoe and the Tams. Have Jayne or Zoe take River out and see if she can pick anything up."

He got a response from them both and used his remote to tight beam all of the ships in the convoy. "All ships of the rescue convoy, this is Harry Potter-Ker Tal. A spy snuck on board my ship, check your ships for sabotage."

Harry didn't wait for a response before walking back out into the crowd of slowly leaving refugees. He could see Luke standing next to the door with his eyes shut and knew he was listening to his instincts, trying to understand them as they spoke to him. Harry didn't need to concentrate as hard as Luke did to search the crowd but he was also keeping an eye on Luke in case he picked up a murderer or similar and went for them. "Alex?" Harry used his remote. "Isolate the ship's systems, remove the dock systems and open the dock iris. If there's a bomb on board I don't want to compound the explosion."

Alex confirmed the order and Harry knew he'd completely separate the ship's systems, vent all of the pipe work and fill the engine room and unused spaces with inert gas to prevent any fire from spreading. Harry was distracted as River danced past him, touching people as she went with Zoe trying to keep up with her. He was about to speak to her when his mind touched one of the refugees and he snapped his eyes around to see his face. A middle aged man with brown hair and a defined body. Luke's head snapped around and his eyes opened to see the man and River giggled as she felt him too.

Luke blurred forward through the crowd and grabbed the man around the neck, pinning his arms to his side. The crowd began running from the commotion and Harry moved through the crowd and guided Luke into the dock office. Jayne, Zoe and River followed them in. "We called Captain Reynolds." Jayne told him.

"Luke, sit him down in the chair. Jayne, search him." Harry ordered. Luke pushed the man into a chair and Jayne quickly searched him, removing a communications node and a couple of knives. Harry held his hand out for the node but didn't shut it off. He'd send Alex up to Vet-One to give it to Reggie. Harry knew to wait for Malcolm to arrive and wasn't disappointed when he arrived not five minutes later.

"I heard you caught the spy." Malcolm said as he walked inside.

"So it seems." Harry mused from where he was leaning on the support next to the door. "Am I wrong?" He asked the captive silently sitting in the middle of the room.

He didn't get a response and Jayne straightened up. "Just say the word, boss." He told Malcolm.

"What do you think?" Malcolm asked Harry.

"That is one option, I suppose." Harry shrugged. "But not the most efficient. You see I don't see any reason to keep him alive."

The man frowned at Harry in confusion. "I'm sure with this little device you've picked up the message I left for the Alliance ships." Harry pointed out, waving the node. "So you know what I am."

"That's a load of crap." The man spat.

"So you haven't seen your Alliance's new little army?" Harry asked.

"We don't need a new army to defeat this scum." The man spat.

"Harry, we need answers. If there's a bomb on your ship a lot of people could be killed." Luke pointed out.

"You made a mistake." Harry told them man and walked towards him. "You forgot to change the rules of your game in order to fight me."

"You don't stand a chance." The man sneered.

"Shut up." Harry snapped and hoisted the man to his feet. "I don't need you to tell me anything."

"Harry, what are you going to..." Malcolm was interrupted as Harry made his move. He drove his head forward and his teeth bit into the man's neck and he fed from the man, taking in his blood but also doing what only an Elder could. Take the man's memories as well. Normally, while feeding, the victim witnessed flashes of the Vampire's memories and most often they were driven insane by the closeness to such a powerful mind. That was why Vampires killed their prey, so that they didn't discover their secrets. The difference this time was that Harry could take the memories from the man and sort through them. His powerful mind sorted out what he wanted to know and discarded the rest.

He didn't kill the man though, a Vampire didn't need to completely drain a person and it was more blood then their body could handle anyway, more than half was destroyed within an hour. Before he got to the half way stage he pulled his head back and pushed the delirious man towards Luke. "Finish him, Luke. There's no point in taking a second life and you need to feed soon."

Luke caught the man on instinct and even if he'd wanted to refuse he couldn't have resisted after watching Harry feed and having the blood dripping from the man's neck. The others watched on in horror and Jayne had his pistol in his hand and as Harry looked at the four others he let his fangs retreat into his gums and knew he didn't have any blood on his lips.

"That's so creepy." Jayne whispered.

"Thanks." Harry licked his lips just to annoy the man and then glanced at Luke just as the other Vampire stopped drinking and gently place the dead body on the floor.

"Now we can't get answers from him." Malcolm frowned at Harry.

Harry laughed. "You'll have to up your game as well, Captain Reynolds." Harry told him and tapped the side of his own head. "Blood holds the memories of the person. A Vampire of my age can take those memories from their victims."

"And?"

"The bomb is set to go off in about five minutes." Harry told them. "And the message was a tracking signal to tell the Alliance where the planet's residence went if they were warned."

"Five minutes?" Zoe gasped. "Aren't you going to do something?"

"There's too many people to get out in time and if I did start shouting warnings it would just start a riot and kill more people." Harry sighed. "The explosion was designed to go off while the ship was purging but I shut all of that down. It was going to rely on secondary explosions but that's not a possibility now."

"If you're sure." Malcolm frowned.

"Alex?" Harry spoke into his remote. "The bomb's in the engine room, get yourself out of there."

"_On my way."_ Alex responded knowing better than to ask questions. He trusted Harry with his life.

Harry used the remote again to call the authorities in Shar-Bank. "Shar-Bank emergency response, this is the _Prism_. We've found an explosive in our engine room. Secondary explosions have been limited but we're unloading refugees. Time to detonation is three minutes. We're going to need fire-fighting and riot control."

"_Roger, Captain Ker Tal."_ A voice responded. "_We're gearing up now and we'll be in the air before it explodes."_

"Now we wait." Harry sighed and opened the office door and walked out into the dock with Malcolm at his side. They didn't have to wait long before the bomb went off. Harry picked up a screeching groan a split second before the hull on the top of the ship blew out, sending debris and flames up into the air. If the iris had still been shut the debris would have bounced around killing the people inside the dock. The _Prism_ shook on its supports and groaned but the damage was limited by the shut bulkheads, the inert gas in the engine room and the empty piping.

The refugees began screaming and running even as a thick column of smoke reached up into the air, through the open iris and into the air above Shar-Bank. Three small ships came into view and sprays of foam came down through the smoke and into his opened engine room.

Before the fire was completely out two of the ships spun away quickly and Harry lifted his bleeping communicator. "_Captain Ker-Tal, the fire is almost out. Three more explosions have occurred within Shar-Bank. None too bad by the looks of things."_

Undoubtedly they'd get similar reports from the other cities and Harry sighed knowing there was nothing they could have done to prevent it. Suspecting every one of the refugees as they loaded them would have meant going so slowly that the Alliance would have arrived before they left.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Vet-One – One week later**

Harry sat behind Reggie's desk with Reggie to his right. Luke was also in the room as were Zoe and Malcolm. Alex had remained with the _Prism_ overseeing the rebuilding of the damaged aft hull and the placement of the new gravity drive. "So what do we have?" Malcolm asked Harry.

"What we wanted." Harry told him. "The probe I left finally relayed the sensor information here. The Alliance fleet arrived and regrouped before it received my message. It waited for almost an hour before advancing on the planet."

"Didn't they notice the planet was empty?" Zoe asked.

"They regrouped outside of sensor range." Reggie told them, "They wouldn't have been able to accurately scan the planet from that range."

"Watch this." Harry said bringing up a holographic image above the desk. It showed a blue sphere as well as eight ships grouped to the side. One was double ringed as the Super Carrier and four more were single ringed as the larger ships. "This is where they paused when they received my message."

"I take it they didn't run away?" Malcolm asked with a grin.

"Not likely." Harry chuckled. "See this." Harry advanced the report and the ships started forwards. They reached a point about half way to the planet when little flashes erupted across the entire fleet. "They rather miraculously managed to put four of their ships into the minefield before the Carrier collided with one of the larger mines, put a mine directly through her open fighter bay and it detonated against the internal hull. Then eight more hit the point ships. The recorded radio chatter was rather amusing from that point onwards. They decided to punch through the minefield like I thought they would."

"What happened?" Luke leaned forwards.

"They lost one of the escorts and crippled three more." Harry told them. "And then my small upgrade to the minefield activated."

"And did what?" Malcolm asked nervously.

"The minefield contains a few drones, when the Alliance ships cleared the minefield they created a magnetic field that attracted mines towards them and then flew into the ships." Harry explained. "In practice that means the mines begin moving towards the ships."

They all looked at him like he was insane and he grinned at them all in amusement. "They lost another two escorts and the fleet is completely crippled. Unfortunately they still managed to put down the Ghouls by the looks of it." Harry paused and drummed his fingers on the desk.

"What are we going to do now?" Malcolm asked. "By the sounds of it Vetegal just took in another four hundred thousand people."

"That's not a concern. Vetegal is a high agricultural planet with the third highest economical worth in the cluster." Harry told them.

"What?" Malcolm gasped as he, Zoe and Luke stared at him in shock.

"We keep that little thing under the table." Harry laughed. "Secrecy allows the major owners of the different cities to do their work without the intrusion of the Alliance. Vetegal has one of the largest industrial sectors in the cluster, produces about fifteen percent of the space craft fleet. Why do you think all the cities have so many docks?"

"I had noticed that." Malcolm frowned. "Even with so many ships you didn't have trouble landing them all and there were so many ships already here."

"Most of the resources and food in the outer regions of space comes from this planet." Reggie told him. "Including much of the technology that you use. All of the Fireflies were built on this planet."

"I wasn't aware of where the _Serenity_ was built." Malcolm shrugged.

"Anyway, back on topic." Harry muttered. "I need to go to Londinium soon and back via the Blue Sun asteroid belt."

"You're joking right?" Malcolm frowned at him.

"No, I made a promise and I intend to keep to it. In one month I need to be in Londinium." Harry told him. "To have a word with the Prime Minister about this latest situation."

"A word?" Malcolm asked. Harry bared his fangs in amusement. "Is the _Prism_ going to be repaired in time to get you to Londinium in time?"

"No." Harry said simply. "It's a two week journey and it'll take at least three weeks to fully repair her."

"So..." Malcolm asked and Harry raised his eyebrows at him. "No way!"

"It's not like he has much of a choice." Reggie pointed out. "My ship is too highly kitted out to be allowed into the Capital planet without raising questions."

"What about the other ships here?" Malcolm asked.

"Right now this planet is accepting the truth behind my existence, waiting for them to adjust to that will take too long." Harry told him. "I'll make sure you are compensated for the journey."

"And what about the patrols we'll run into on the way in?" Zoe asked.

"Alex is taking a piece of equipment out of the _Prism_ that will give us an edge on their patrols." Harry told them simply. "What do you think, Captain Reynolds?"

"Let's go kick some Alliance arse." Malcolm smirked.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	7. Murder, Mayhem and Madness

Blood in the Stars

A/N; Please read the message in bold at the top of my profile regarding updates. Please enjoy.

Chapter 7; Murder, Mayhem and Madness

**Vetegal**

Harry dumped his two bags of clothing and equipment on the deck of the _Serenity's_ cargo hold and Luke dropped his next to it. Alex was staying on Vetegal to oversee the repairs to the _Prism_ but Harry didn't want to leave Luke on his own without a chaperone for the time being and it would take a month to get to Londinium and back again. Together they walked up through the ship as they felt the engines come to life with a bit of a nicer tone then Harry had heard from it before. Grier and Patrick had been working on the old Firefly for two weeks to get it serviced and to get new parts into it.

"Wow, I haven't heard her purr like that in years." Malcolm smiled at Harry as he and Luke entered the small cockpit. River was in the co-pilot's seat with her brother, Simon, behind her. Zoe was leaning against one of the walls with a complacent smile on her face. The only two on the ship that were missing were Jayne and Kaylee who Harry had smelt on the way up. They were probably in the vicinity of the engine compartment.

"We all set to go?" Harry asked. Malcolm nodded. "Good, can I borrow the doctor for a moment?"

"Sure." Malcolm shrugged. Harry turned and left the cockpit with Simon behind him.

"I can't imagine anything you'd want to see me about." Simon commented but Harry just shook his head and headed back to his bag and once there pulled out a flask with a short span power pack attached to it. "What's that?"

"Fresh blood." Harry announced emotionlessly. "Luke and I just fed but, well, Luke might need to drain a whole person once and a while but I don't. This is what's left over."

Simon made a dramatic effort not to swallow but gave in. He'd gone a little on the pale side. "Would it help if I told you we caught the two of them about to rape someone?"

"Maybe a little." Simon nodded.

"Think of it this way." Harry sighed. "Malcolm, Jayne or Zoe would have just shot them dead. Luke and I at least put them to good use."

"Good point." Simon shook his head. "So why do you need to keep that?"

"I can last two weeks easily but Luke can't push much past a week and won't be able to for a few hundred years yet." Harry told him. "Unless you want him staring at your neck for several days before he jumps you?"

"No." Simon shook his head going pale again.

"This is keeping it warm but can you cryo it?" Harry asked. Simon nodded and look the sample. "Poor Luke."

"Poor Luke?" Simon frowned.

"That's going to taste horrible cold." Harry sighed. "I hate drinking from a flask."

"Well unfortunately the live specimens are off the menu." Simon told him with a straight face.

Harry laughed and put an arm around Simon's shoulder and steered him back towards the med bay. "Was that a joke from the little doc?" Harry chuckled. "Maybe you're not such a stick in the mud. I could have some fun with you." Harry winked at him and Simon blushed furiously when he worked out Harry wasn't making gestures at his blood which just made Harry laugh all the more.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A week later**

Harry spent most of the time on the trip in the cargo bay with Luke training him to use all of his body's new abilities especially the speed and endurance. When they'd started the trip Luke had been unable to beat either Malcolm or Jayne in a fight because he couldn't tap into that potential on demand. His mind just wasn't used to thinking that way in a fight. Once he did finally tap into it nobody on the ship but Harry could beat him even if they all ganged up on him. The only exception was River who, though just as slow as a regular human, was capable of blocking strikes made at lightning speeds and attack at just the right time to get through Luke's defences. It was incredibly impressive and Harry could see why the Alliance had taken such an interest in her. She still wasn't good enough to get a strike in through Harry's barriers who could change his defences in the split second it took for her to make a strike but that would come to Luke with time and practice.

Right at that moment though he was sitting in the pilot's chair doing his stint of watching that the autopilot did its job and that nothing jumped out in front of them. At the moment there was absolutely nothing in sensor range and even the long range gravity sensors that used the effected light of stars to detect ships didn't have anything. That was one of the things with space, it was so vast that you could spend months crossing the system and never run into anyone on sensors.

"Hello, Malcolm." Harry greeted without any other sign that he'd known the man had arrived. The door had been open into the corridor but he'd been able to hear his footsteps.

"How'd you know it was me?" Malcolm asked and took the co-pilot's seat across the cockpit.

"For starters your footsteps are different to everyone else's on the ship. Then there's your breathing pattern, that's unique too." Harry paused as if considering. "Then your heart rate and your scent."

"Heart rate and scent?" Malcolm raised an eyebrow.

"I can hear your heart beating." Harry said simply. "If I wanted to I could hear everyone's heart beat in this ship."

"That's creepy." Malcolm pointed out.

"It also means that I can find somebody hiding in a crowd by the way their heart skips when they're nervous or anxious." Harry explained. "It's a hunting thing that comes with being a Vampire."

"What about scent?" Malcolm asked. "Is that just what cologne I'm wearing?"

"Actually if you were wearing cologne it would be a pain in the arse." Harry chuckled. "Every person has a different scent. It's how dogs can track a person from an item of their clothing. It also means I can tell what you've been doing as your scent changes slightly. If you're nervous or frightened your scent changes. If you're aroused or ill as well."

"Aroused?" Malcolm raised his eyebrow at him again.

"Don't worry, Malcolm, I know you're not now." Harry laughed. "It's a little distracting though on this ship when Kaylee and Simon are around each other. You might not have noticed the trouble that Luke was having last night when we were playing cards and they were flirting with each other."

"Oh god." Malcolm laughed in amusement at Harry and Luke's predicament.

"It gets worse." Harry laughed. "Our hearing is good enough to hear them all through the night and they stink of it today."

Malcolm laughed. "Maybe you should have a talk to them?"

"Thanks Captain." Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm not having that talk with them."

Malcolm laughed again and Harry chuckled along with him. Something drew his attention and he became serious very quickly in concern and Malcolm frowned at him at his sudden change. Harry licked his lips and Malcolm recognised that his fangs had lengthened. "What is it, Harry?"

"Blood." Harry hissed already getting to his feet. "Jayne's blood, quite a bit of it."

"I should call the doc." Malcolm told him.

"First we have to find Luke." Harry hissed and was out of the door with Malcolm right behind him.

"Why?"

"Because it's been a week since he's fed and he'll be able to smell that easily." Harry told him. "He might..."

Malcolm grabbed his radio from his belt. "Jayne, where the fuck are you?"

"_At the bottom of the cargo hold ladder thank you boss."_ Jayne told him.

"Doc, you hear me? Get your butt down there now." Malcolm almost shouted into his radio.

"_How'd you know I was hurt?"_ Jayne asked though now that he wasn't pretending it was obvious in his voice.

"Harry can smell it." Malcolm said sharply. "Anyone seen Luke?"

"_No boss." _It was Kaylee. _"I'm with Jayne, his leg's pretty bad but I haven't seen... Luke?"_

The change in tone told Harry everything he needed to know. Luke had shown up. Harry took off faster than Malcolm could follow and in seconds was in the cargo bay. He came out on the top floor and paused for a half second to take in the scene. Luke was closing on Jayne and Kaylee slowly and his fangs were out and his eyes were solid silver. Kaylee was trying to help Jayne shuffle back but his leg was snapped clean through and there was a lot of blood on the floor. Harry pulled his eyes away from the blood and took in Zoe as she ran in through the side door along with Simon.

Harry vaulted off of the top even as Zoe pulled her pistol and nervously aimed it at Luke. It was an idea but unfortunately wouldn't do her much good. If she shot him he'd completely lose himself to his instincts and would bite Jayne just to survive. Harry landed smoothly between Luke and the two on the ground and Luke's instincts screamed at him that Harry was going to take away his prey and he leapt forwards.

Harry caught him with ease and held him in place but Luke was strong like this and he struggled with all of his strength and that was enough strength to open a bay door while in space. Harry braced himself and threw Luke backwards and into the wall and with a blur had him pinned in place. His own fangs were bared and his own eyes burned silver from not only the fight but also the strong smell of fresh, hot, revitalising blood that filled the entire cargo bay.

Luke stilled as he felt his Sire so close but he was trembling with the need to feed. Harry held him with his left arm and knowing that only the taste of blood would allow Luke to calm down he brought his right arm up across between them and bared his wrist. Luke didn't instantly work out what was happening but Harry leant down and sliced his own wrist with his fangs. Blood welled up and the smell of Harry's blood, so much more powerful that Jayne's, was enough to have Luke biting down into Harry's wrist and drinking the blood.

Luke could easily survive for more than a week on Harry's blood but Harry would need the blood in the flask after this. He let Luke drink until Harry could feel him relaxing and he could smell the effect drinking his Sire's blood was having on Luke. It was the most powerful sensation a Vampire could experience and this sort of act invariably led to sex with most Vampires. It didn't matter whether you were mated to the Vampire or not but it was something that couldn't be escaped.

When Luke sighed and pulled his head away from Harry's wrist and put more of his wait against the bulkhead. Harry turned in Luke's arms and put his back to the other Vampire who clung to him hiding behind him half in shame for what he'd nearly done to Jayne and also to hide his arousal. Harry looked at the entire crew now in the cargo bay. River was sitting on one of the walkways with her feet swinging off the edge. Malcolm stood nervously somewhere between Harry, Luke and Jayne whilst Zoe stood by the door with her pistol still in her hand. Kaylee and lastly Simon were busy with Jayne.

"You won't need that pistol anymore, Zoe." Harry told her and she nodded and tucked it away in its holster, trusting Harry. "He's over it but this place smells too much of blood for either of us. I'm going to take him to the pod for a few days until the air is purged enough."

Malcolm nodded. "Use number one, we keep it shut off from the ship in case of an emergency. The smell shouldn't be in there. Is he going to be alright?"

"This is one of the dangers of space flight for us I'm afraid." Harry shrugged. "I can feed him like that if necessary but it only means I have to feed instead. Can you get the doc to bring up that flask I gave him once Jayne is sorted out?"

"Sure." Malcolm nodded and Harry wasn't surprised that he knew of the suspended blood in his med bay. Malcolm glanced down at Harry's wrist which made Harry look down at the blood still seeping from Harry's original cut. Luke's incision had already healed over. Harry brought his wrist up to his mouth and licked off the blood and the cut sealed over within a couple of seconds as his saliva sped up the healing process even faster.

Harry ignored the way that Luke had his arms around his waist and turned within them and pulled Luke away from the bulkhead now that the more obvious signs of his arousal had faded and walked him out of the cargo bay and shut the door behind them. He led Luke up through the ship to the compact pod bay and opened the door and put Luke inside before following him in and shutting the door. The air in the pod was only tainted by the slightest amount of the scent of Jayne's blood from when Harry had opened the door but it was easily ignorable. The pod was clearly the one that Inara used and instead of hard benches there were soft sofas fixed to the deck as well as a side compartment with a small shower. It was nice enough.

Harry put Luke down on the bed and sat beside him. Luke didn't say anything and merely sat up and put a leg on either side of Harry and hugged his back and pressed his face into the back of Harry's neck. "I'm so sorry." Luke sobbed.

"There's nothing to apologise for." Harry shook his head. "Maybe for scaring the shit out of Jayne but you were only doing what your instincts demanded of you. Why don't you try to sleep?"

Luke sighed but lay back on the bed and rolled onto his front, trying to get comfortable. Harry leaned around and kissed Luke on the back of the neck and just sat beside him and rubbed Luke's back soothingly.

The door cracked open ten minutes later and Harry smelt Simon in the corridor. He got up quickly and went out of the pod and shut the door behind him and Simon handed him the flask. "Thanks." Harry told him before opening the top. His eyes turned to silver as he smelt the blood, kept fresh by the cryo but still cold. He drank it down as fast as he could to avoid the urge to throw it up but it was enough to keep him going. They'd have to hunt when they got to Londinium.

Simon accepted the flask back without comment before speaking. "Jayne'll be fine. Just a broken leg and I don't think he's ever been so scared in his life."

"Unfortunately when you're the top of the food chain you do tend to scare the prey." Harry told him bluntly.

"I think Jayne get's what happened and nobody's going to blame Luke for what happened." Simon assured him.

"But they would blame him if he'd actually done it." Harry pointed out before he popped the door open again and walked inside, shutting it again to stop the smells from getting in. He locked it so there'd be no surprises and then made his way back to the bed.

"What did you do to me?" Luke groaned into the pillow.

"Do to you?" Harry frowned thinking for a moment that he meant being turned into a Vampire but then he realised that Luke was talking about the lingering effects of feeding from Vampire blood. "Oh." Harry chuckled. "When you feed you always get a little turned on. I'm sure you've noticed. But when you feed from something as potent as another Vampire's blood, especially from a willing Vampire, and especially from your Sire, it's kind of hard to not end up like that."

"You git." Luke grumbled before trying to get comfortable.

Harry stood up and pulled off his jacket, shirt, trainers, socks and trousers and pulled up the blanket and got under with just his boxers. "Heat will help." Harry told him. "Luke, trust me." He continued when Luke didn't move.

Luke sighed but got up and stripped down. He paused when he was just in his boxers and glanced at Harry. It was already blatantly obvious what was down there by how turned on Luke was so Harry just shrugged. "You'll soon realise that there isn't much point trying to hide that sort of thing. I can smell it on you as obviously as you could smell that blood in the cargo bay."

Luke shrugged and pulled off his boxers and then got into the bed with Harry. Harry pulled him closer and Luke turned into him, curling up to his side and putting his head on Harry's chest. Harry rubbed his hand up and down Luke's naked back and merely listened to his heart beat. There was easier ways to rid Luke of his arousal but Luke wasn't comfortable with their relationship as of yet. He was still trying to work out if they were lovers or friends or father and son. In reality there was no father and son just two Vampire joined by an undying link forged by their similar blood and driven by the need to never be alone.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

Harry woke up feeling the heat of Luke's body against his side and he held his breath so as not to wake the other Vampire up. It was so good to have another Vampire around, somebody that Harry could actually try to become close to. He'd been close with crew members before but he'd always known that eventually they would leave him but with Luke that was different. Not only was Luke immortal but he was extremely tough to kill, just like Harry. Then again out in space they were just as easy to shoot as anyone else, that was how his friends had finally met their ends over the centuries.

Luke woke and froze for a moment before moving closer if such a thing was possible. Luke had been fondling Harry most of the day before, getting used to the way that a Vampire body responded to such things and he'd gotten over any shyness he might have had whilst being locked away in the pod with nothing to do but talk and be with each other. Harry had spent hours telling Luke about the way that Vampires had lived together on Earth, about their customs and traditions and Luke had merely absorbed it all. The beautiful thing about this situation was that Harry and Luke were the only Vampires left so it was up to them how things happened but they were still slaves to their instincts and even more so than their blood thirst was their desire for body contact of any kind.

Harry kissed the top of Luke's head and Luke shifted to lie on Harry's front, bring even more of their skin into contact. Harry knew that it would still be hours before Luke was happy to go back out into the _Serenity_ but this time it was by choice and not necessity. Luke hadn't finished exploring his new instincts completely yet.

They showered in the pod and then ventured out into the _Serenity._ Luke smelt the air and nodded in satisfaction that there wasn't any Jayne's blood still in the air and he focused briefly. "They're in the galley." Luke told him. Harry nodded having already known that but pleased at the progress that Luke was making.

They found their way to the galley and Harry slipped along the wall without being noticed even as Luke coughed to draw attention to himself and then stood very still as everyone turned to look at him. "You don't have to stare at him you know." Harry spoke up as he appeared on the other side of the room and sat down between Malcolm and Zoe. "I know he's gorgeous but all the same." He muttered making Zoe laugh and Malcolm and Jayne glance at him. "What? I'm a Vampire. Like we care?"

Luke laughed and slowly sat down between Kaylee and River and turned to look at Jayne. "Hey now!" Jayne raised his hands. "None of the mushy 'Sorry I tried to eat you stuff'. It's too early in our relationship buddy."

Luke flashed him a smile and then nodded. "I'll ask first next time." Harry laughed again.

"Now that we've established the food chain again..." Malcolm paused. "That being humans eat normal food and Vampires keep to themselves. We're closing in on Londinium in a few days and I want to know how you plan to get us past the patrol ships and down into dock."

"That's easy." Harry shrugged. "I had the dock hardwire a toy into you power grid, it'll make the ship appear to be nothing more than another scout. With a few access codes stolen for us by Reggie we'll be able to enter the atmosphere. Then it's just a case of flying over the Ministry low enough to jump out. The ship can hide in the asteroid field with the same little toy and we can steal ourselves a pod to get out once we're done."

"Okay, that sounds good apart from one minor detail." Jayne pointed out. "The lowest permitted traffic over the Ministry is two thousand yard and if you use any electronics to slow you down the automated systems will shoot you down and if you try to parachute you'll appear on their sensors."

"All good points, which is why we'll free fall." Harry grinned. "We being Luke and I since none of you can survive a mile drop."

"And you can?" Simon asked.

"It might jar a bit." Harry admitted with a shrug at Luke. "I mean I broke an ankle doing it once before."

"If having a Vampire on my ship wasn't bad enough, he has to be a thrill seeking one." Malcolm sighed and rubbed at his head.

"Is he talking about you or me?" Luke asked with faked innocence.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Londinium**

The _Serenity_ flew low over the city, it had gotten in under the guise of a scout ship returning to the capital world and they hadn't had any trouble. Flying low over the Ministry meant that the sensors would log them but again that was automated and it would only report a scout ship passing over head. Harry stood on the very end of the cargo bay door as the tall buildings passed by underneath. He knew the city well and knew exactly when to jump and so did Luke though he was looking extremely nervous as he looked at the two thousand yard drop onto the hard metal top to the Ministry buildings.

"Are you sure about this, Harry?" Luke yelled over the wind.

"You think I'd jump if I wasn't?" Harry laughed. In truth he was enjoying himself. It wasn't often that he could be a real Vampire and actually act like it.

"Good luck guys!" Malcolm yelled over the wind from near the edge of the bay itself.

"Just remember to bend your legs when you hit the building!" Harry yelled with a big grin on his face before he glanced over the edge, saw that it was time and straightened up and dove straight off of the edge. His jacket whipped around him and turned him over but he was a Vampire and he instinctively straightened his dive until he was feet first and he held out his arms to keep himself that way up as the ground quickly approached. He glanced up about a hundred feet to where Luke was falling and as he watched Luke instinctively found the same position.

At almost three hundred feet per second they fell down to the top of the building which was almost five hundred yards from the ground and two thousand yards from the _Serenity_. They covered the distance in just under twenty seconds and Harry hit a split second before Luke. He bent his knees and rolled forwards and felt pain lance up his legs but the effect faded within a few seconds. Luke gasped but came out of it unharmed.

"Hey! What the...?" A soldier gasped but he never finished his astonished cry when Harry blurred and grabbed him by the throat and sunk his teeth into his neck. He drunk quickly and could hear that Luke had taken out the second roof watch keeper in the same way. Any lingering damage to their ligaments from their landing vanished with the fresh blood. Harry dropped the dead body against the wall of the watch house and Luke did the same. They were at war and that would mean deaths on both side and nobody in this star system was better at killing than Harry and the newly changed Luke.

"See, wasn't that fun?" Harry asked him.

"You don't have to be so happy about it." Luke told him referring to the two dead bodies.

"Another couple of seconds and they'd have shot you." Harry shrugged. "Besides, I was referring to the sky diving."

"Let's just get going." Luke suggested and Harry grinned and took off running. Harry knew the shortest route from the roof to the Prime Minister's Office and as they approached only thirty seconds later they could hear several voices inside. Harry could hear five different voices but that didn't mean there weren't more and he didn't fancy stopping to count breathing patterns. They stopped in the reception area and Luke knocked out the receptionist with a well placed blow to the head long before she'd seen either of them appear. They'd knocked out eight people on the way here and it probably wouldn't be long before somebody found out that something was wrong. They'd be gone soon though with or without leaving more dead bodies behind.

Luke tensed up suddenly and Harry turned from listening to the voices to look at him. "What is it, Luke?" Harry asked being able to hear Luke's heart beat speed up. His link to him was screaming at him that Luke was in pain. "Luke?" Harry tried again. "I need you paying attention, what is it?"

"My father's in there." Luke's voice was barely above a whisper. Harry was shocked, not once had Luke spoken about his family. Harry had known that Luke was ex-Alliance but not how he'd been selected to be tested upon.

"Is that going to be a problem?" Harry asked.

"Depends on what he knows of what happened to me." Luke hissed and Harry saw his eyes change to their silver colour.

"Stay out of sight once I'm inside and I'll find out." Harry told him and slipped over to the door. He cracked it and slid inside, silent as a ghost. Instantly he switched off the lights and in the few seconds before their eyes began to adjust to only the light through the windows both Harry and Luke were inside. Harry stopped in front of the window but Luke stayed to the shadows.

"Who's there?" Someone called in fright and somebody else leapt to their feet. There were eight of them sitting along a long conference table. The curtains had been closed so there was still very little light in the room except for that from a hologram hovering over the table.

"Well I did send an RSVP." Harry pointed out before moving with a blur as they all turned to look at him. "Give me a single reason not to just simply kill you all?" Their heads snapped around to him again.

"You can't!" One of them, the one at the end cried.

"That's not a reason." Harry scoffed. "A reason is 'I have a son' or something like that. Then again that won't help you either. The way I see it I'd be doing him a favour."

The Prime Minister at the end of the table leaned forwards and hit a button on the console and the lights flashed on. "I'm calling security." He announced and made to push another button.

Harry was forwards in a flash and he pulled the Prime Minister back into his seat with a hand on his shoulder. "The next one to reach for that console gets a bullet in the brain." Harry announced dangerously and it took them all of a second to notice his silver eyes and his lengthened fangs. "Besides, everybody else in this building is already dead. Nobody noticed those thousands dying, nobody's going to notice you eight either."

"Who _are_ you?" One along the left asked.

"No, _what_ are you?" Another made to stand but then thought better of it and sat.

"Very good. A cookie for the brilliant Minister." Harry mocked. "I'd be what they call a Vampire."

"Impossible." A new one mocked and laughed.

Harry shrugged and in a second was around the table. He hoisted the man up from his seat with one hand and threw him clean across the room and into the window which spider webbed with cracks but held. The man crumpled to the ground unconscious. "Any more objections or would you like me to drain one of you?"

"What do you want?" The Prime Minister asked.

"I told you that in my message just before your Super Carrier and her escort ran into my mine field." Harry shrugged.

"That was you? We'll have you arrested!"

Harry shook his head and rubbed at his head before looking up at the one that had spoken. "Are you really that stupid?" Harry asked. "Arrest me? Do I look like a fucking human to you? I feed off of you guys! And really? You sent those ships there to wipe out a planet of humans."

"Putting them down just isn't an option." The Prime Minister seemed to be keeping his cool for the most part but Harry was sure that would change soon enough.

"Ah, so you _do_ know how to listen." Harry mocked. "And putting them out of their miserable really is an option. All you have to do is incinerate them. Unfortunately not much else will work. I'd know. They're created from my blood."

"Not all of them are like that." A new man spoke up for the first time. Harry looked at him, he was wearing a senior military man's uniform.

"Oh you mean the one you turned with a pure sample of my blood rather than synthesised." Harry mocked. "No I suppose he's different. Quite good to keep around actually. He's good company. How'd you choose him anyway?"

"He's my son." The officer told him.

"So he volunteered did he?" Harry asked but the man seemed to miss the dangerous hint to his voice and he definitely didn't notice the figure walking up behind him.

"It was an honour for him to serve the Alliance. It was a decision I made for his benefit. He might not have agreed but in time he will see the advantages of it and when he returns to the right side he'll..."

"He'll what, father?" Luke hissed from just behind him. "Help you do what? Kill my Sire?"

"We created you, not him." The Prime Minister spoke up.

"You created a monster!" Luke hissed and lifted his father from his chair and held him clear off the floor by the neck. "Harry saved me. He helped me accept what I've become."

"Son..." Luke's father gasped out. "Come home... To your brother!"

Luke snarled and even if Harry had wanted to he probably couldn't have stopped what Luke was about to do. Luke threw his father straight into the shattered window and he crashed through it and out over the five hundred foot drop. Harry winced but his hearing didn't leave much to the imagination about what had just happened.

"You killed your father!" The Prime Minister was unnerved by that. Unsurprisingly.

"If he didn't, I would have." Harry told him with a toothy grin. "When you turned Luke he became family to me. That means any betrayals to him carry over to me and I don't take any form of betrayal lightly. So as I see it you have only one way to leave this room alive."

"What...?" One asked.

"You didn't think I just came to chat did you?" Harry mocked. "You have one chance and one chance only to order the destruction of the Ghouls. And you have exactly three minutes to do it so I'd suggest you start now."

"We plan to bring peace and unification to this system with that army." The Prime Minister told him.

Harry rolled his eyes. "The people don't want you telling them how to live." Harry shook his head. "They want to feel like they have a choice and forcing them to obey with an army of Ghouls isn't right and I won't allow something created from my blood to do that to the worlds that can't protect themselves. I've let your little Alliance survive the centuries but I'll tear it down if I have to. Starting from right here in this room and then with everyone that tries to take your place until somebody rises to the top that has some ounce of common sense. Even if that person is merely a clerk now."

"You're wasting your breath." One of them told him with a sneer. "Nothing can bring down the Alliance."

"Actually that little thing with the Reavers nearly did it. How many millions left the Central Planets after that little titbit came to light?" Harry laughed. "So what will it be, make the order or one of you dies."

"You said we had three minutes?" One asked.

"I said _he_ had three minutes." Harry shrugged and hoisted the one that had sneered at him to his feet. "You lot are superfluous."

"Killing us gains you nothing." The one under his hand gasped out though Harry could smell the fear on him.

"Hello! Vampire!" Harry mocked before his head snaked forward and quite liberally tore out his throat. He didn't need to feed again. He threw the body back into his chair and his blood flooded down his front and onto the table. The remaining five at the table tensed in their chairs and one looked about ready to throw up. "Technically, I suppose, that was a waste."

"There are five more of them." Luke pointed out logically.

"That there is." Harry nodded just as an alarm started ringing. "It looks like they just found our friend down on the concrete. I still recon we've got a few minutes before they work out it was from here that he fell from and then a few more minutes before they realise that they can't reach your security."

"They'll slaughter the two of you." One glared as he stood up. Luke blurred and was behind him in a moment and he grabbed him and sunk his teeth into his neck and drank from him.

"Are you going to make that order?" Harry asked him but only got silence so he drew his pistol and without further ado he shot the last two in the head. Luke dropped his own prey and Harry sighed and finally turned to the Prime Minister. "Well I honestly didn't expect this to go any differently, why else do you think I skipped lunch?"

"You can kill me but that gains you nothing more than a cheap snack!" The Prime Minister glared at him with true, unadulterated, hatred in his eyes.

"I'm not going to kill you, Prime Minister." Harry mocked. "That's too easy. You're going to be staring into madness for the rest of your life with only horror to keep you company. You created a horror and so you're going to live it. Besides I want this message to stick."

Before the Prime Minister could speak Harry hoisted him to his feet and sunk his teeth into his neck and let the Prime Minister feel his mind, let it overcome him and splinter his human mind into a million fractured pieces that could never be reassembled. He'd be little more than a raving lunatic for the rest of his life. Harry dropped him to the floor and turned to Luke who was merely watching with silver eyes and an angry look at the world he'd once been a part of.

"Come on, babe, time to go." Harry told him and turned to the window. He paused at the edge and eyed the unconscious man by the edge and then shoved him with his foot over the edge and down towards the crowd below. "Below!" Harry yelled and received a slap on the arm from Luke for being childish. "Quickest way out I think."

Harry took a step forwards and was suddenly freefalling feet first for just under five seconds before he landed just beside the new splattered corpse. Luke landed with a thump beside him and the crowd took another second before they started screaming. Luke sighed and started forwards and soon both had vanished into the panicking crowd and were impossible to find in the city.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry let Luke lead him through the city for eight miles on foot ignoring the emergency ships flying all over the city, searching for whoever or whatever had attacked and slaughtered the Ministers. He knew Luke was taking them to his family but Harry made no motion to stop him, if seeing his family allowed him to move on then that was a worthwhile delay in their escape.

They stopped in front of a large estate in the nicer residential district but Harry knew that nobody had lived there for months. "Your father must have moved them after you escaped." Harry spoke up and moved up to Luke's side and studied him. He was crying. "What are you going to do if you find them?"

"If you destroy the Alliance I don't want them to be a part of it. Nathan's only ten." Luke told him. "How do we find them?"

"He'll smell like you." Harry told Luke bluntly and walked into the house, smashing through the door easily enough. He found what was obviously Nathan's room and ran his fingers over the dusty counter. It was an old trail but Nathan had spent so much time here that he was able to pick up his scent since it was so similar to Luke's. Luke watched him from the doorway silently but followed him out into the hallway and up onto the roof where Harry merely shut his eyes and let himself relax. It was almost impossible to track someone down like this but Harry was a predator that preyed on humans, designed to work in secrecy and once he had a scent he could invariably follow that person to the ends of the solar system. Space was a small obstacle though.

"Nathan's still on Londinium, not much more than a few miles away." Harry told Luke before stepping off the edge of the building and onto the walkway up to the front door. "Let's go." He muttered to his friend before speeding up into a fast run that covered the distance in only a minute. They arrived at a smaller house but still just as nice but Harry could easily smell Nathan's presence here, a fresh scent. Luke sighed in relief as he recognised the voices inside.

"Don't kill either of them." Luke warned him.

"Luke..." Harry sighed. "I wasn't going to kill your mother and brother. I'm not that heartless."

"Just checking." Luke grinned at him before walking up to the front door and opening it. Harry followed him silently and they turned into the living room to see that both Luke's mother and brother were watching the TV. An emergency broadcast about the assassination of the Prime Minister and those he'd been with. There was a video of the second body falling from the wall quickly followed by two other figures but it was taken from a distance so to viewers the two figures merely merged into the crowd.

"_What these creatures are nobody seems to know."_ The reporter on the scene was saying. _"Only that they showed no mercy."_

"Vampires are what they are." Luke spoke up and his mother and brother jumped at the intrusion but they soon recognised Luke as they stood and spun. Nathan leapt forwards and grabbed Luke around the waist even as their mother froze and went pale.

"Luke." Harry sighed. "She knows what your father did to you."

Luke looked up at his mother and narrowed his eyes. "You let him do this to me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Who are you?" She asked Harry.

"Tell the truth!" Harry hissed lacing his words as an order.

She gripped her head and gasped. "It was for the good of the Alliance. It was an honour for you that we couldn't pass up."

Luke hissed and wrapped his arms around Nathan who was trying to get away to find out what was happening. Harry knew what Luke wanted so it was he that spoke up. "Nathan, go upstairs and pack whatever you want to take with you. You're coming with us."

"What?" Nathan frowned. "Mum? Luke?"

"Do what Harry says, Nath." Luke whispered and pushed him off towards the stairs. Nathan paused at the doorway but then ran up the stairs.

"Luke..." His mother made to move closer but Luke hissed at her. His eyes turned silver and his fangs elongated. She staggered back in shock and gasped in horror.

"You shouldn't be scared." Luke told her. "You let them do this to me. You let father volunteer me for it without even asking me."

"Who are you and what have you done to my son?" She rounded on Harry.

"His blood had to come from somewhere." Harry shrugged.

"Blood?" She frowned.

"Looks like dear little mother didn't know what father volunteered you for." Harry shrugged. "Still, she had to know you wouldn't like it or they would have asked you."

"That's right." Luke narrowed his eyes.

"You were willing to lose one son, now I'm going to make you lose the other." Luke hissed at her. "I'm taking Nath with me."

"You can't do that!" She denied him.

Luke took a few steps forwards so fast that only Harry could follow him with his eyes. He was inches from her before she could even flinch. "I can do what I want and I don't trust the Alliance not to try again and I don't trust you to protect Nath so he's coming with me and Harry where I can keep him safe."

"You're a monster!" She hissed.

"No, deary." Harry sneered. "The Alliance were monsters and now they're insane, bled out in their office or splattered on the plaza."

She stared at Luke in shock. "You killed your own father?"

"He was willing to kill me first to create an army to slaughter millions." Luke hissed. "You should be glad I don't kill you too."

"What would that gain you?"

"This again?" Harry laughed. "We're Vampires. Blood is like air to us, you have it and we need it."

"Besides it would make sure that Nathan stays safe." Luke glared at her. Harry turned to look at Nathan who was standing in the doorway again with a rucksack over his shoulder. He was pale but surprisingly calm.

"Luke, we're leaving." Harry told him before moving up to his side. He snapped out a hand faster than his mother could see and touched the side of her head and stunned her with a bare thought, sending her crumpling to the ground. "You'll never see her again, either of you."

"I know." Luke nodded and turned to his little brother and crouched down. "Nath, are you alright?" Nathan nodded and jumped up to his brother again and hugged him. "We're going to take you away from here now, Nath. Where they can't do to you what they did to me."

"We'll be able to move faster if you carry him." Harry announced.

"My father should have a pod nearby for official use." Luke told him even as he straightened up and pulled Nathan into his arms with ease. "It'll be in the hanger beside the house."

Harry nodded and moved towards the door and walked over to the garage like hanger beside the house. He broke through the looked door as if there was no lock and checked the pod over externally to make sure it was in one piece while Luke took Nathan inside. He hit the roof release and ducked into the pod and up into the cockpit while Luke just sat with Nathan inside talking to him quietly though Harry could have heard if he wanted to.

They were in the air in seconds and out into space. They were pinged by one of the space stations but Harry sent an automated message back saying the ship was rendezvousing with a military ship and since the pod's ID code was a military one they ignored him from then on. It would only be a few seconds though before one of the military ships in orbit that were on high alert realised that the pod wasn't heading for any of them but by then Harry would be out of reach and they wouldn't fire thinking that there was nowhere for the pod to go since they wouldn't be able to pick up the Firefly until they registered one of the asteroids moving away from the belt.

As they moved into the asteroid field Harry used his eyes to try to spot the _Serenity_ visually since all he could see on the pods scanners were asteroids. He flew the ship through one of the few channels that Malcolm could have navigated his ship and as he watched he spotted the _Serenity_ moving out from behind one of the larger asteroids. Almost instantly the pod's proximity alarm picked up the moving object on an intercept course but Harry silenced the alarm and guided the pod up to the opening pod bay on the side of the _Serenity_ and slowly docked her. To the military ships around Londinium the pod flew into the asteroid field and vanished but it wouldn't be long before the _Serenity_ was spotted as an asteroid on an exit course. He shut the pod down once it was folded into the side of the ship and then headed down to where Luke was opening the hatch.

"We haven't been formally introduced." Harry told Nathan and held out a hand to the small boy. "My name is Harry."

"Nathan." Nathan told him quietly. "Are you like Luke?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded. "I'm helping him learn what it's like."

"He said you're really old." Nathan told him and Luke looked up and shrugged.

"Try six hundred odd years, Nathan." Harry laughed. "Come on, let's go meet the crew."

"Is this your ship?" Nathan asked in excitement.

"No." Harry shook his head and Nathan's smile vanished. "Mines much bigger than this one but it'll be a couple of weeks before we're back on Vetegal."

Harry led Luke and Nathan out of the pod and into the corridor where they were met by Malcolm, Zoe, Jayne, Simon and Kaylee which meant that River was flying. "You seem to have picked up a stray." Malcolm pointed out. "We didn't discuss rescuing anyone."

Nathan attached himself to Luke's side and the young Vampire rested an arm around his shoulders and glared at Malcolm. Harry stepped in. "He's Luke's kid brother." Harry told him sharply.

"Ah, well that explains it." Malcolm nodded accepting it easily. "Welcome to my ship then, kid."

"His name's Nathan." Luke told them.

"My name's Captain Reynolds. This is my first mate, Zoe. My Engineer, Kaylee. Doctor Simon Tam and crewman Jayne. Doctor Tam's sister River is up in the cockpit." Malcolm introduced quickly. "Kaylee, take Nathan and Luke to the spare cabin."

Harry gestured for Luke to go knowing that Malcolm wanted to talk to him about something. Luke walked off with Nathan under his arm. "How much trouble did you get in down there? The news is littered with it. Two dead Ministers on the plaza, another five dead and you turned the Prime Minister into a lunatic. And you were filmed jumping from a fifty story building."

"In my defence it wasn't me that put the first one out of the window." Harry defended. "That was Luke."

"And why did he do that?" Jayne asked.

"It was his father." Harry shrugged.

"He...?" Jayne gaped. "Threw his own father to his death?"

"The bastard lost the right to be his father after donating his eldest son to medical experimentation." Harry hissed as his eyes turned silver and his fangs showed. "His father admitted to volunteering Luke to become the test rat with my blood to see what would happen. If I hadn't have shown up with you guys and freed him he probably would have broken out and ran murderous throughout that world. His mother was in on it too though she didn't know it was Vampire blood they were testing. Luke wanted to get his brother out so we did."

"And all the dead bodies you left behind?" Malcolm asked.

"I went to send a message. I gave them ample chance to order the destruction of the Ghouls but they ignored me. There's no point fighting a war with these guys when watching me kill Ministers isn't enough to change their minds." Harry told them simply.

"And when they're replaced by the same sort of people?" Zoe asked.

"Then I'll go back there and kill them too." Harry pointed out. "And again and again until one of them realises that they can't beat me like this."

"And when their armada arrives above Vetegal?" Simon asked.

"That's why we've got to get back there and pick up the _Prism_." Harry told them. "There are a few things on the outskirts that I need to pick up for this war."

"A few things?" Malcolm asked.

"A few things from Earth." Harry said simply. "Then this becomes war. Reggie sent out a call to arms against the Alliance in my name before we left. Any person willing to fight against these Ghouls will show up on Vetegal and after Ghouls start wiping out planets then more and more will join."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Three weeks later**

Two weeks from Londinium to Vetegal and then a few days to bring the _Prism_ back from her repairs and now after a few more days of travel to the outskirts of the system the cargo ship slowly slipped around a small moon. The _Serenity_ was latched to the thin joining section and her crew were in Harry's cockpit along with Luke and his little brother as they approached the surface of the moon and to a place that Harry hadn't been to in fifteen years. Not since getting a crew for the _Prism_ again and returning to handling cargo.

The lights of the _Prism_ pushed out ahead of them across the barren surface of the moon where the sun's rays were too dim to light it up even the scarcest amount. Harry slowed his ship down to a bare crawl and the lamps suddenly had nothing to light up as the ground fell away into a large chasm like valley. The _Prism_ slowed to a complete halt just off the edge of the cliff and Harry reached up to the console and brought the lamps to their full blinding brightness and suddenly the darkness of the valley was pierced but it wasn't empty.

Two ships sat on the surface, larger than anything they had ever seen before. Larger even than the big cities on Londinium. Huge megaliths of power that the lamps traced with white light, showing huge engines, a large bridge across the front of the closest. These had cargo bays big enough for Harry to land three _Prisms_ and that was with room to spare.

Guarded and hidden by Harry and his friends and now just Harry. Kept running for hundreds of years on this desolate and forgotten moon, on the edge of civilisation. These were just two of the four ships that Harry had kept that had brought humanity to this system after the exodus of Earth.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	8. The defence of Vetegal

Blood in the Stars

Chapter 8; The defence of Vetegal

**Planetoid body 8856**

Harry slowly settled the _Prism_ down onto the upper hull of the _Plaides_ PES, or planetoid evacuation ship, as their class had been known as. Lining up the belly hatch with the docking hatch on the top of the enormous ship. The _Prism_ was pretty big at almost four hundred metres in length but these ships were six thousand metres in length and were built with more than four million tonnes of metal, assuming the weights were based on Earth measurements. In space it didn't really matter except for the fact it took so long to go around them. The engines were powerful enough to upset the orbits of large asteroids or even small moons. Earth's greatest countries had put everything they had into these ships and their technology, even six hundred years old, was still in keeping with current weapons and engines and they had a few systems on them that only Harry knew existed, built into them after they'd been hidden here by Harry and his ancient friends.

"How come nobody found these?" Kaylee asked as she stared at them in shock, probably anticipating exploring the machinery onboard. It could take her a lifetime to discover it all and in many cases engineers had actually spent their entire lives onboard one of these ships.

"We're right on the outskirts of charted space." Malcolm explained. "The original terraformers came out here to chart the asteroids and to see if there were any planets further out but since then nobody really comes out here. Especially not with ships capable of scanning the surface enough to detect these."

"But they're huge, surely just a surface scan..." Doctor Tam.

"The moon we're on is laced with iron, so much that it has a magnetic influence and since the ship's are still below the normal height of the surface they're almost impossible to see and even if somebody did detect them without actually coming down they'd think they were just metal deposits." Harry shrugged. "And besides, who'd bother coming all the way out here to scan moons and asteroids smaller than the Earth's moon. There's just no point."

"So these two have been hiding here for four hundred years?" Kaylee asked just as Harry stood up from the pilot's seat and touched Alex on the shoulder. The younger man grinned at Harry, delighted by the sight out of the window.

"These two and the two about eight miles away. Yes." Harry nodded. "These were four of the original twelve that brought humanity here but these four were being Captained by my friends. We came out here with the settlers and terraformers and even as the central worlds were targeted for terraforming we started with Vetegal and then spread out from there and as soon as the ships were no longer needed we stowed them away in case we ever needed them again."

"Vetegal was one of the first worlds?" Malcolm asked. "I never heard that."

Harry shrugged. "I don't go around spouting history normally."

Alex laughed and Harry led them down through the ship to one of the smaller store rooms. "The inside has automatic heavy gravity rather than artificial and it's pressurised but I'd suggest we all wear oxygen masks until I get the ship's systems back up and running." Harry informed them and passed out small oxygen cylinders and the seals that went over their mouths and noses.

"You sure you can get them running?" Malcolm asked.

"These aren't pathetic little drives like you get on ships nowadays. These engines are the size of cities." Harry laughed. "They've got very few moving parts and work on accelerating super-heavy particles."

"Not anti-gravity drives?" Kaylee looked nervous.

"I'll explain it all to you and Alex later once we're down there." Harry promised as he started down through the ship towards the hatch. "But basically an anti-gravity field surrounded the ship which basically gives it the same characteristics as any ship you're used to but instead of the slip drives you have to propel normal ships they blast power out of the back."

"What about in atmosphere?" Malcolm frowned.

"The _Prism _and the _Serenity_ can't use the space drives in atmosphere because of the weight of the ship, our systems can't compete with a planet's gravity and the air's pressure but these are powerful enough to compensate." Harry explained and saw a grin spread across Kaylee's face.

"I think I'll be staying boss." Kaylee announced to the group of nine in general.

Harry popped the hatch and then reached down to open the larger one below and then once open dropped down into the large airlock actually inside the _Plaides_. The others all followed him down and Luke shut the hatch behind him just in case since there wasn't any actual atmosphere outside. Harry pulled on his air mask and the others copied him before watching as Harry messed with the panel of switches and lights on the wall which finally beeped at him and he nodded to the others. "The air inside is a little thin but the pressure is alright."

With that he pressed the door release and grumbled when nothing happened. "Uh..." Malcolm started but Harry ignored him and booted the bottom of the door which screeched and rolled back out of the way. Harry walked through as if that was normal and a slightly nervous group followed him, staring at him in astonishment as Harry spread his arms to the large corridor that they walked into.

"What?" He asked when he saw them looking at him in astonishment. "So she's old, big shock."

"You don't screech when you open." Alex pointed out.

"He didn't mean it baby." Harry patted the wall. "He'll love you soon."

"So this one's special to you?" Luke asked him.

"I came over here on the _Plaides_." Harry told them through his mask. "Let's head straight to the bridge. It's going to take me a few hours to boot up the system and then I'll take a pod over to the _Achilles, Zeus _and_ Icarus_."

"The what, what and what?" Jayne asked with raised eyebrows.

"It's Ancient Greek Mythology." Simon Tam explained to nobody in particular but got confused looks from Kaylee, Luke, Jayne and Alex. "Earth!"

Harry laughed. "I gave up long before you even picked up whichever ancient book you read about that from, Doctor." Harry laughed. "Even with music."

"That stuff you listen to is old!" Alex complained.

"What did I say the last time, Alex?" Harry questioned. "Don't insult something that's older than spaceflight."

"I'd just like to point out here that Harry is almost older than spaceflight." Luke's smirk was clear through his mask.

Harry rolled his eyes and tugged Luke down the corridor in the direction of the Bridge. "You realise of course that means your frequently having sex with someone older than spaceflight?" Harry asked with a laugh but only Luke heard him and laughed back.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**An hour later**

The bridges of these were more control areas and they were huge even though for most of the trip across there had only been a couple of people in there at any one time. The windows gave them a view of the darkness outside but only Harry and Luke could make out anything especially now that Harry had gotten the lights and other systems up and running. There was the slightest of vibrations in the deck now that the ship's main engine was warming up, running its hour long warm up procedure. Harry remembered the moment when these huge megaliths of technology were finally put to rest here and how silent and horrible it had felt to suddenly have such complete stillness and silence in the ships when they had been running for almost two hundred years.

Now it was coming back to life, warming itself up and almost stretching, readying itself for its return to the waking world from its long hibernation. Harry almost hated the fact he was bringing the _Plaides_ and his brothers into a war but he knew of no other way to ensure their victory.

Harry was at the navigation console while the others were merely lurking around, studying the controls but forbidden to touch anything because none of them had an inkling how to run anything. Harry was merely setting up all the systems to start their warm up so that in two days they could take off from the surface, regroup under autopilot up in space and start their short journey to Vetegal. One advantage of these ships was that they were designed to be flown in automatic and there wasn't even a pilots console, only navigational systems. A pilot just couldn't handle the PESs properly but these boys could look after themselves well enough.

"Right, so you guys are going to start looking over your systems and you've got two days to do it." Harry announced as he stood up. "I'm going to be spending the rest of today just going between the ships and warming them up and getting their systems back online but I'll get you all started off. Alex and Kaylee will look around the engines, Captain Reynolds, River and Luke, you'll be looking around the navigation systems because you'll be flying these things when it gets to that which leaves Jayne, Doctor Tam and Zoe to look after the weaponry."

"These things have weaponry?" Jayne looked surprised. "I thought we were going for scare tactics with these."

"I thought they were transports?" Malcolm asked.

"They have a weapon." Harry shrugged. "Slow to fire, slow to charge but it's got a punch like nothing you've ever seen. Granted they were never fired on the way across because the power was required for the engines but we'll be able to use them."

"And they'll still work?" Jayne asked. "Cause you know, explosives tend to have a use by date and I don't remember any being four hundred years."

"Who said anything about explosives?" Harry asked. "Remember this is technology from Earth."

"Uh, right." Jayne frowned not being able to think of anything helpful about Earth. Harry sighed and just shook his head.

"I'll show you later. For now have a look around but stick together until I get back from waking up the other three ships. Alex, can you go back to the _Prism_ in case Reggie contacts us. He's probably wondering where we've gotten to. I only told him we were going to pick some things up." Harry suggested and left them to it for the time being.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

Harry hung in space above the moon at the pre-programmed coordinates for _Plaides, Zeus, Icarus _and _Achilles_ to meet before they set off towards Vetegal. They were all in the _Prism_ or the _Serenity_ and wouldn't dock on the _Plaides_ as soon as they were settled onto their new course, using one of the cargo bays so they could continue preparations on the way to Vetegal.

The worst news had arrived just the day before and although the others had wanted to power up and go right then and there Harry had held back, wanting to make sure the ships were capable of lifting off without a hitch and although the last twelve hours had been heartbreaking to him he couldn't rush these ships. They were titans, slow to wake and slow to move but with a punch like nothing else. Capable of flattening mountains.

Reggie had called with the bad news. What had to be eighty of the Alliance's ships had been spotted, along with the ship that Harry knew the Ghouls were on, in deep space. The ship that had spotted them had sent out a wide beam emergency message. Over the next couple of hours the ship had sent all of the information its sensors could glean from the armada of ships but after a three hour chase it had been overrun by three of the Alliances frigates and blown apart. Too late for the Alliance to hit Vetegal by surprise but the freighter hadn't even managed to get a shot off. Reggie had received the message and sent it straight onto Harry but it was delayed by almost two days between being sent and getting to Harry.

The Alliance armada was heading through a rather unused section of space and it had only been pure luck that had given them away but they would arrive in Vetegal not long before Harry assuming he didn't have any delays. Harry had quickly told Reggie to tell everyone with a capable ship to make orbit and start heading in their direction. They'd amass and attack the Alliance armada from out of the system's asteroid field where the presence of the four megaliths wouldn't be spotted until the last moment. Harry couldn't afford for the ships already on Vetegal to be wiped out before Harry arrived with the main weapons. Anyone that couldn't leave the planet were already heading for the large cities and although Harry knew that they'd either be bombarded from space or attacked on the ground by Ghouls he didn't have a choice. The Alliance had reacted quickly and struck straight at his base world, the only built up and successful planet not under their thumb and Harry was working as fast as he could.

"_Plaides _and the _Zeus_ are powering up to full power." Alex reported. "Jesus that's a lot of power." Luke glanced over at Alex's screen which had the basic readouts from the four ships and the power output from two had just leapt through the roof. He whistled through his teeth as the _Achilles _and_ Icarus_ powered up as well. "All four lifting off the surface. Nothing out of the ordinary." Alex told him.

Harry angled the _Prism_ so that they could see the planet and the four bright lights of the four ships could easily be seen. Without atmosphere they were merely powering away from the surface and soon the ships themselves could be seen. "That's awesome." Luke chuckled.

"Down boy." Alex told him with a laugh.

"Whelp." Luke ruffed Alex's hair getting an astonished yelp from him.

"Not you too!" Alex whined.

"They're settling onto course." Harry interrupted taking the situation more seriously. In truth he was rather emotional. He'd sworn after the last of his friends had died that he'd never use these. It was too painful and he knew that pain was evident in his voice.

"Oh, Harry." Luke gasped and moved to stand behind his chair. He leaned down and wrapped his arms around him. "I didn't think about that."

"I just wish it wasn't just us out here." Harry sighed.

"Maybe you should make some more then." Alex spoke up and although he had a smile on his lips when Harry looked at him he couldn't work out if he was serious or not. There'd been people through the centuries that he'd wished he could turn so he didn't have to say goodbye to them but that was selfish and he'd never done it.

"That's definitely a sight I'll never regret living to see." Luke whispered as the four ships settled into a formation almost like a fighter formation with the _Plaides_ in the lead, the _Zeus _and _Achilles_ on either side and a few miles behind and then finally the _Icarus_ settled right behind the _Plaides_ at about ten miles. Harry drove the _Prism_ forwards as if about to ram the _Plaides_ but then angled her up to fly over her surface. He flew the whole fifteen miles of the small fleet and then swung around to settle on the _Icarus' _side before speeding up as the _Serenity_ came onto his own beam.

"_Serenity to Prism. You know how to pick 'em."_ Malcolm told him.

Harry just let that comment slide and angled up to gain height on the ships which were about to kick in their engines and Harry wanted to be in and settled before they began to accelerate. "_Prism_ to _Serenity. _Settle down behind me in the main cargo hold." Harry ordered even as he saw the bay on the top of the _Plaides_ sliding open. It was small compared to the entire ship but still large enough to fit his ship in three times. The _Serenity_ almost looked like a gnat in comparison. He slowly lined up and then eased the _Prism _in and as he landed Alex brought up one of the hull cameras and watched the _Serenity_ enter above them and then switched to one of the stern ones to watch her land. Harry powered down and sent a signal to the _Plaides'_ 'auto management system' and the cargo bay door began to shut above them. Harry completed the power down but left most of the systems online since they'd all be sleeping onboard their own ships. The living quarters on these ships weren't in a suitable state.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

_**The Intarea**_

"Admiral, the ground forces are moving on the cities." The Lieutenant didn't seem to want to say what the ground forces were.

"Any resistance?" The Admiral asked.

"Quite severe." The Lieutenant frowned. "They had plenty of warning like we thought. I don't think they'll be able to withstand a prolonged attack however."

"Better the Ghouls than our own troops." The Admiral nodded. At least their Prime Minister had had the wisdom to think of something like these Ghouls and it was a shame that the monster who was based on this world had turned him insane like he had. That _Vampire_.

"Still no sign of any space capable ships, not in orbit or on the planet's surface." The Lieutenant frowned.

"Don't fret, Lieutenant." The Admiral asked glancing around at the fifty people around the control deck of the massive carrier. "Even if they plan to surprise us from the asteroid field they can do nothing to our fleet. This _person_ has united all of their ships to face us but it will just mean that we can wipe them all out in one go. He is doing us a favour."

The Admiral didn't see the concerned look on the Lieutenant's face. The man was more worried about when the other shoe would drop.

"Admiral! Ships coming through the asteroid field, we didn't see them in the shadows." One of the men on the scanners called out.

"That's not unexpected." The Admiral said smoothly. "Call the scouts back from the asteroid field and manoeuvre the fleet into position."

"Sir! The scout ships aren't responding." A man called out after a brief pause. "We don't have their signals."

"Destroyed already?" The Admiral frowned and turned to look out of the control deck windows at the distant glittering of the asteroid field. He could feel the ship moving away from the planet and could see two cruisers take up a defensive position in front of them. "When will the enemy fleet emerge from the asteroid field?"

"We've got two ships in the open space between us and the fleet. Holding off." One of the men reported. "A military cargo vessel and one of those little Fireflies."

"A military cargo vessel?" The Admiral turned to them. "One of ours?"

"It's got a merchant signature." The man told him. "I don't know where they came from. Our system registered them late. They must have been the ones that destroyed our scout ships."

"Sir! Ships coming out of the asteroid field!" A man said with a shaky voice. "Hundreds of them and..."

"Standby to fire!" The Admiral yelled before turning to the man. "And what?"

"I..." The man swallowed. "The computer doesn't know what they are, Sir!"

"Doesn't know what what are?" The Admiral pressed.

"Four ships, Sir." The man stood up. "They're huge, sir. Three times the size of this ship."

"That's not possible." The Admiral spun to the window where hundreds of lights flickered through space but his eyes could easily find the four new ships by the massive glow from their engines. Even as he watched he saw a flicker of red light from some sort of close in laser weapons system. They were so big they were having to take out asteroids to clear a path through. "Get me target locks on those ships and tell the fleet to open..."

"Sir!" A man cried but the warning was too late. The only warning they got was a bright flash of blue-white light.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few minutes earlier**

"Harry." Alex stood at his shoulder waiting. The control consoles for the engine spaces was on the control deck so he and Harry could wait together and since there was only a few people on the enormous ship it stopped them from getting lonely. Not that they had much time for that. "You ready for this?"

"Of course." Harry nodded. "It's been a while since I was in a war though."

"How long?" Alex asked.

"Well the last one like this with two clear sides has to be the Purification War." Harry shrugged. "That was more covert than this though. We were hitting major targets as small groups not whole fleets like this."

"We're coming into range." Alex announced glancing at a side screen.

"All vessels this is the _Plaides_, clear the space between us and the enemy fleet. Don't cross in front of us for any reason. The space will remain charged and may detonate your explosives." Harry warned. "_Zeus, Achilles _and_ Icarus_, charge the main weapon and fire on the largest ship directly ahead of you."

"_Maybe we should target the small ships that are going to shoot at us first?"_ Zoe commented from her place piloting the _Achilles._

"_Do what he says, Zoe."_ Malcolm's voice spoke up from the _Icarus_.

Harry pulled the control for the main weapon on the weapons console and began powering up the main weapon and watched as it charged up. The main propulsion on board charged energy and thrust it back out of the ship, propelling it on its way but by inverting the propulsion tubes and storing the charged energy it could be released from the front of the ship, travelling nearly at the speed of light, releasing massive amounts of energy against whatever it hit first. It had the added side effect of detonating explosives in the region as well.

"Fully charged, Harry." Alex told him. "And it's starting to effect the structural integrity."

"I know." Harry nodded and checked one last time that the, now stationary, _Plaides_ was headed straight for the enemy carrier and fired. The release from the front of the ship was almost invisible but Harry's eyes could track it by the way the energy warped the light coming from the enemy ships and the planet. The edge of the attack hit one of the Cruisers and tore it apart but the rest hit right in the centre of the carrier. There was a bright flash of light as the energy detonated and after a second the carrier began to break up. Small explosions littering the surface.

A couple of seconds later Harry spotted three more of the energy pulses striking the larger ships and in all five of the enemy ships were destroyed without any conventional weapons being fired. Not since the _Prism_ run by Luke, with the _Serenity_ to assist her, with River at the helm, had snuck forwards using the cloaking systems and taken out the scout ships with mines and missiles.

Harry rerouted the rest of the energy down through the propulsion tube so it didn't feedback and damage the weapon and the _Plaides_ headed forwards again, catching up to the slowly moving fleet of allied ships which, after witnessing that attack, were keeping well clear of the fronts of the large ships.

"All ships, engage only the smaller ships." Harry ordered. "We will deal with the larger ships."

With his order the smaller ships accelerated and within seconds missiles were flying between the fleets. Harry began charging the main weapon but it would take about two minutes to fully charge. In the mean time he just slowed the ship down to stay out of the main attack and the other three ships did the same, lingering in high orbit while the fleets battled in mid and low orbit. They had a few ships with them which moved lower to intercept enemy ships trying to head to them but the few missiles that got through were intercepted by missiles from the large ships or with the close-in point defence lasers. Systems that any large ship had but that hadn't done the enemy ships much good against the PESs main weapons.

Harry fired again just after the _Icarus_ fired but couldn't fire at the largest ship remaining, a command troop ship, because if it dodged the strike would hit within blast range of Shar-Bank. The Cruiser he'd aimed at exploded along with half a dozen small fighters and a dozen missiles flying through space. The _Achilles _and _Zeus_ fired almost a minute later and now every thirty seconds one of them were firing, picking off whatever they could hit.

"All Central Alliance vessels, this is Harry Potter-Ker Tal of the Planetary Evacuation Ship _Plaides_. This battle is out of your hands. Surrender now or you will be completely wiped out." Harry's eyes were drawn slightly to the right as one of the enemy cruisers fired missiles, slamming them into one of the larger cargo ships and destroying it. "Your battle is lost. Jettison any remaining Ghouls into space and return to your homes. If you do not we will destroy all of your vessels and then travel to the Central Planets and destroy your capital world."

Harry was bluffing but the Alliance ships probably didn't want to take that risk. Harry's fingers hovered over the key required to power up the weapon again but he closed his fist when a beep told him that he had an incoming message. "It's the Cruiser just forward of our position. Your next target I think." Alex told him before accepting the call.

"_Harry Potter-Ker Tal, if you're really that person."_ The voice told him. _"Stand your vessels down and move out of conventional weapons range and we will destroy the Ghouls remaining on our ships and leave orbit and return home."_

"That's not possible." Harry ordered before opening the communication up so that all vessel could hear him. "All resistance vessels, enter atmosphere and clean up the Ghouls on the surface. Destroy any Alliance vessels that do not surrender within the atmosphere. All vessels remaining in orbit are to pull back out of missile range until the Alliance vessels leave. Be aware, Alliance vessels, that our high powered weapons can hit you at four times the range previously observed. Do not attempt anything hostile."

"_That is acceptable."_ The voice told him from the Alliance Cruiser. It took a moment but Harry watched as about half of his own allied ships headed through the Alliance fleet and down into the atmosphere to protect the cities and start to destroy the Ghouls. The rest of the ships began moving back towards the _Plaides, Zeus, Achilles_ and _Icarus_ forming a wall watching the Alliance ships which grouped together. As Harry watched he started seeing rescue pods being ejected and targeted by missiles, destroying them one by one.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter


	9. Endless

Blood in the Stars

**A/N; This is the final chapter for this story. Two years and six months since I started it and it's now finished. Hope you enjoy the ending.**

Chapter 9; Endless

**Vetegal – Shar-bank**

Harry lifted the radio to his lips. "Fire on target, _Plaides_." Harry ordered as he looked out over the eastern swamp. This was going to do a hell of a lot of damage but it was the best option right now. With the armada gone the troops on the surface could have surrendered and Harry had expected them to do just that and had ordered them to but he'd merely gotten panic back. He'd overlooked something. The humans that had come down with the Ghouls, possibly five hundred for the ten thousand Ghouls that had landed in the desert region north of Shar-bank, had had perfect loyalty until the Ghouls in space had been destroyed, essentially betrayed by their masters which freed them and sent them on a rampage. They'd turned on the humans controlling them on the surface and they'd been helpless to defend themselves in their surprise.

Malcolm Reynolds had picked up a couple of fleeing troopers running south with the _Serenity_ and taken stock of the number of Ghouls on the surface and where they were heading. And the answer to that was straight at the closest population centre as per their last orders from the Central Planets, their masters. They were currently in the swamps, slowly making their way towards the city and they'd mow them down against the city walls or bring down the 'rain' on them from ships overhead. The first salvo would take many of them out anyway and then it would just be a mop up operation.

The only warning that the men on the city walls had was when the clouds exploded outwards and a shimmer struck the swamps almost twenty miles to the north. A shockwave of air throbbed through the city from what classed as a near-miss when it came to a PES's main armament. The water in the swamp vaporised out from ground zero sending up hot steam in all directions and a small tidal wave was thrown out from that out into the swamps and struck the wall of the city.

"All vessels, this is a reminder. Stay south of Shar-bank." Harry said bluntly, he didn't want something cutting through the heavily ionised air. The PES weapons lost a hell of a lot of power when cutting through atmosphere but that didn't mean they were ineffective. They did the same sort of damage as a small tactical nuke. Of course in space the shots were undetectable and devastating, not only because of the power but because, unlike missiles they couldn't be shot down. And also, if they didn't lose energy into solid matter, they just kept going.

"Let's leave the clean up to the humans." Luke told him. "You need to rest."

Harry eyed the only other Vampire in existence but nodded to show he would. The less he had a hand in things the quicker the outer planets could get over this and get on with their lives.

Harry and Luke scattered crowds of refugees as he headed for the _Prism_. He headed up to the recreation room and sat down and ran his hands through his hair. Luke sat beside him and wrapped an arm around him. "What are we going to do?" Luke asked. "We can't live here like this?"

"They'll treat us as some sort of gods." Harry nodded and then looked up at the door when it swished back. Alex walked in with a huff and sat down opposite them.

"Bloody morons." Alex told them.

"Us or someone else?" Luke asked.

"Them." Alex jerked his head back the way he'd come in. "They know I'm your engineer and won't leave me alone."

Harry frowned and dropped his head on the table. "I knew this was happening. It's why we always stayed under the radar before. Sure the stories still got told but nobody knew what we looked like."

"Then what do we do?" Luke asked. "Everyone here is looking up to you to solve their problems."

"You're going to vanish aren't you?" Alex asked with a frown. Harry looked up at him.

"I want to take the PESs out into deep space so that nobody can use them as weapons. That way we can use them to push at the Central Planets if they get cocky again." Harry sighed. "But yes, I want to vanish. Live on the PESs in space, grow their hydroponics again."

"What about blood?" Luke asked with a frown.

"The PESs have prisons." Harry told him. "With trips to planets every few months it's easy enough to thin out the criminal population, sedate them and take them back. Keep them alive and feed from them. With them locked up in one place there's no need to kill them. Drive them insane maybe but not die. It sounds harsh but we've done it before. Five of us lived out on the PESs on that asteroid for forty years like that."

"Would you ever return to the planets?" Alex asked.

"When everyone alive now is dead." Harry nodded.

Alex shut his eyes. "And me? After I'm dead?"

Harry stood up and walked around the table and sat next to him so they could face each other. "I've never turned anyone before." Harry told Alex.

"Harry, I have nobody but you." Alex's eyes teared up. "And now Luke." He glanced over and Luke smiled at him in agreement to the tentative statement. "If you leave me I'll have no one."

"You could still come with us." Harry pointed out. "Even as a human."

"Please, Harry." Alex grabbed his hands. "Turn me. I want to stay with you. You're the only thing I have and..."

"And...?" Harry pressed.

"Apart from Luke, I'm the only one you have." Alex told him.

Harry hung his head for a moment before looking back up. "You're sure?" Harry asked him gently before reaching up and lifting Alex's chin with his fingers when he tried to look down.

"I can't lose you, Harry." Alex told him. "You're like my father, brother and best friend all in one."

"You realise that if I turn you in time you'll end up adding lover to that list?" Harry asked. "Maybe sooner rather than later. You'll want comfort, you'll want to feel our skin, soak in our warmth until you end up sharing a bed with both Luke and I." Alex blushed and looked down but he didn't really seemed disgusted by the idea. "If there were more of us then you might be able to resist but with just the two of us it'll be difficult and futile."

"I've always liked sharing a bed with you." Alex told him.

"But your body will react." Harry shook his head.

"Then it'll react." Alex stated bluntly. "And I'll deal with it the way that feels right. I won't fight what my body needs. I want this, not because of the immortality or the power but because I get to stay with you. I can't lose you, not by you leaving me behind or by me dying of old age. It all amounts to the same thing to me."

Harry glanced at Luke who smiled at him to leave it all up to Harry. Harry turned back to Alex who was actually crying. Harry sighed and before Alex could think about it he shifted his grip and plunged in. He was biting down on Alex's neck before Alex could see him move and he heard Luke leap up in surprise.

"_If this is what we're going to do then there's no more need to discuss it."_ Harry whispered into Alex's mind as he started drinking from him.

"_Oh god!"_ Alex didn't really direct the words to Harry, it was more just a response to what he was feeling, hearing and seeing. This wasn't what Harry's victims experienced because they fought it and Alex was accepting it but even so if Harry wasn't shielding his mind as tightly as possible then this would damage Alex long term. Damage that would be averted when Harry moved onto the next step.

Harry half drained Alex of blood, just enough that he could feel Alex starting to cool where his hands were on his arms. Harry pulled out his fangs and caught Alex as he slumped, nearly unconsciousness. "Stay with me, Alex." Harry ordered and lifted him up effortlessly and laid him down on the table top. He lifted his wrist and tore his own skin with his fangs before holding his wrist over Alex's mouth. Alex accepted it easily enough and Luke sat on the table with Alex's head in his lap so that Alex could better drink from Harry's wrist. "I drained you because it makes the change easier for you. They didn't do that to Luke which is why it took him so long to change. You'll change overnight tonight and then I'll put you to sleep in the morning so you can sort through the memories you'll absorb from me."

Alex was barely paying attention to him as he sucked down the blood and Harry let him completely refill the four pints of blood he was currently lacking before pulling back his arm. Alex followed it with his gaze but didn't argue losing the supply. Luke stroked his hair as Alex started getting drowsy. "Will he be like I was?" Luke asked in concern.

"No." Harry shook his head. "What they did to you was horrible. My blood has to slowly destroy all of his in order to change him. With less of it left it won't be so hard. And they injected your blood directly, you should have ingested it first to remove the sedatives and such."

"Let's get him into our bed." Luke suggested. Harry nodded and lifted Alex up even as he fell asleep. Harry kissed the side of his neck and squeezed him tight enough to really feel him. "Did you want this?"

"Yes." Harry told him with tears in his eyes. "I couldn't imagine losing him." Luke hugged him from behind before following Harry to get Alex into bed and since it was late they settled in on either side of him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**The next day**

Harry didn't let Alex really come back to consciousness. As Alex's Sire he knew when Alex started to come out of the change and he and Luke were watching him all through the final change as Alex's teeth bared into fangs. Alex took on a small shift in his appearance, becoming more beautiful and more predator-looking. Vampires couldn't just be spotted with a glance because of any physical difference but only by that shiver that ran down your spine when you saw something beautiful yet dangerous. Even asleep, looking at Alex, you knew he was dangerous.

Before Alex could awaken Harry kissed him on the temple and set commands in his mind, to deal with the memories in his mind and remain asleep until Harry awoke him. After that Harry got up. Luke didn't have to ask and he stayed in bed with Alex cradled in his arms, vowing to watch over him. Harry dressed and moved over to share a kiss with Luke before slipping out of the cabin and through his ship. He had plans to make and people to visit.

His first stop though was the seedier section of the city where he pulled someone out of the crowds and drank them dry. He guessed that now that people knew him they'd know who had drained all the victims over the years but if they were leaving it didn't really matter anymore.

He walked into Grier's dockyard under the eyes of half a dozen workers. Harry could smell Grier and headed up to his office and slipped into the seat opposite him with a sigh of relief at being away from the crowds. "Hey, Harry. How are things going?"

"The city is safe at least." Harry shrugged. "But the attention is a little more than I'm used to."

"That's because everyone is waiting for you do bite somebody." Grier pointed out.

"Already fed this morning actually." Harry shrugged. "Won't need to again for a few weeks."

"And that Vampire friend of yours?" Grier pressed.

"A week." Harry said bluntly.

"People are seeing you as some sort of demi-god." Grier frowned.

"And nobody will move on if I'm around." Harry nodded. "I'll be leaving permanently in a few days time."

"Leaving?" Grier gasped.

"That's what you were thinking wasn't it?" Harry laughed. "It's alright, I fancy a change anyway and Luke and Alex aren't fussed with staying here. I could stay and help to rebuild, I could force an alliance in the outer planets that would keep the Central Planets at bay but then you all will become reliant on my presence. People will spot me about and that will be warning enough to stop something like this from happening again but I need to leave. At least until everyone now is dead and gone and I'm forgotten as anything but a memory."

"Where will you go?" Grier asked.

"I'll be taking the _Plaides, Zeus, Icarus, Achilles_ and the _Prism_ with me into deep space." Harry informed him. "You can survive on a PES easily enough, let alone four of them. I can't part with the _Prism_ so she's coming with me."

"How will you feed?" Grier frowned.

"Collect a few murderers, rapists and scum every few months. When we don't fully drain them they go insane but they'll make good cattle." Harry shrugged seeing the shocked look. "Don't try to reason it, Grier. At least they'll serve a purpose before they die."

"Soon people everywhere will know about the _Prism_." Grier frowned.

"That's why I'm here, I'm in the market for a new ship or two actually but one's a gift." Harry laughed.

"For Captain Malcolm Reynolds I gather?" Grier laughed. Harry nodded. "Funny you should ask, I've been helping with a couple of ships that would have been finished by now if this hadn't all happened. Pretty nice ships, about half the cargo space of the _Prism_ but much more manoeuvrable. I think you'd like them."

"If you think they're good can you ask after them. Don't tell them it's for me. I want to leave quietly." Harry prompted.

"Sure thing. I was going to point you at them when they were finished and put on auction anyway." Grier nodded. "Might be a little pricey to buy them away from the market though."

"Money's not an issue." Harry shook his head. "I'll be taking much of what I consider personal items from my vaults over the next few days. My dockyards will go to you, Deserted to Gary since he runs it already, and most of the rest of what I have to Reggie to work with. If I want it all back I'll take it back subtly in the future under an alias."

"You plan fast don't you." Grier laughed.

"Find out what it'll cost me for those ships and send me the price and when I can get shown around them." Harry requested. "And a date when they can be delivered to space to go under tow to the _Prism_. I don't mind paying a bit for discretion. I'll leave that up to you."

"Leave me somehow to get into contact with you when you leave." Grier told him with a slightly pleading look. "You're a good friend and I don't want to completely lose contact with you."

"Reggie will know where I am drifting and will be able to send me any messages." Harry assured him before standing up. Grier followed him up.

"You're taking Alex with you?" Grier asked.

"He asked me to turn him." Harry told Grier simply. "He's recovering now. He'll stay with me."

"He's a good kid. He wouldn't have gone anywhere but with you." Grier smiled. "I'll see to those ships for you and let you know."

"Thank you, Grier." Harry smiled and accepted the embrace from the man briefly before slipping out of the room.

He headed to the small, normally militia used, dockyard where the _Serenity_ was sitting and walked up the cargo ramp. Apart from Jayne and Zoe, who were controlling the _Plaides_ and guarding the other three PESs, they were all in the cargo bay shifting through storage crates. Harry had arranged for a few things to be sent knowing that right now Malcolm had next to nothing to his name but the _Serenity_.

"Harry!" Malcolm greeted with a smile. Harry smiled at him and greeted them all back. Simon, River and Kaylee who all seemed pleased to see him. "How is Luke, Alex and Nathan?"

"Nathan's been pretty quiet but Luke's very protective of him." Harry smiled. "As for Alex, he's currently recovering from becoming a Vampire."

"Really?" Malcolm stuttered slightly in surprise.

"I'll be leaving with them both in a few days time, possibly a week depending on arrangements." Harry explained. "The outer-planets can't get used to my presence."

"Stalled development." Simon nodded.

"I'm planning on taking the _Prism_ and all four PESs with me out off of the trade routes and drifting for a few years." Harry smiled. "Nathan is staying with us."

"We'll miss you." Malcolm assured him with a small smile.

"Actually I was hoping you'd pay a visit now and again." Harry laughed. "I need some help making preparations for our departure and also in getting settled safely."

"We've got nothing else to do." Malcolm shrugged.

"There's a gift in it for you, Malcolm. You'll like it." Harry grinned.

"What?" Malcolm tried.

"Ah! That'll be the surprise." Harry laughed. "I was hoping you could use your ship to ferry stuff up to the _Plaides._"

"Of course." Malcolm grinned at the reason to fly his ship. "What do you need shifting?"

"I'll call you with a list of vault numbers and access codes. I'll send someone to show you to them. All I need you to do is empty them all into the _Serenity_ and then up to the main hold on the _Plaides._" Harry told him. "Shouldn't take more than a few days. I'm sure you'll like the excuse to look in my vaults without stealing something."

Malcolm laughed. "Just send us instructions and we'll get on it."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**That evening**

Harry put food down in front of Reggie and his pregnant wife with a grin. He'd asked Reggie to pay a visit since he hadn't wanted to go up to Vet-One while Alex was in his trance in case something happened. "It's been a long time since I've had one of your meals, Harry." Reggie grinned happily. "He's awesome." He told Vanessa, his wife.

"He only says that because the first time I cooked for him was when I took him off the streets." Harry laughed and sat down.

"You said you turned Alex?" Reggie looked worried. "How is he?"

"He's doing alright." Harry assured him. "He'll want to see you before we leave."

"Leave?" Reggie gasped. "What? Why? Where to?"

"You think we can avoid chaos if I stay?" Harry asked. "People vying for my influence? People expecting me to prevent war? Humans have to govern humans."

"He has a point, love." Vanessa smiled at her husband. "People will always take the easier route."

"But..." Reggie looked lost and Harry took pity on him.

"Reggie, you're family. I know you won't want to leave your life here but you are welcome to come to us whenever you want for as long as you like. I'm leaving everything but my dockyards and Deserted to you to sell, use or whatever you want. I'm taking the contents of most of my vaults but apart from that everything I care about it coming with me."

"That's why you let Alex talk you into turning him." Reggie sighed.

"I'd offer it to you but you have family, Reggie." Harry smiled at Vanessa. "But you're welcome with us anytime."

Reggie frowned down at his food but then nodded and smiled up at Harry. "We'll come with you to get settled in." Reggie decided and glanced at Vanessa to be sure.

"I'm due in a few months." Vanessa told Harry. "So we won't be able to stay long."

"If you would prefer to stay with us until the birth and then until you recover then you may." Harry smiled at her. "I've been on that end of a birth quite a few times and my senses give me a massive advantage. Not to mention that I could ask Simon Tam, the _Serenity's_ doctor, to be around for the birth."

"Reggie's right, you really go out of your way for people don't you?" Vanessa asked in shock.

"When you're my age, Vanessa, life becomes so much more when you can watch the smiles on the faces of the people you come to care about." Harry smiled. "Reggie is like a son to me." He pointed to her bulge. "Your child is like my grandchild and I fully intend to ensure he is cared for. Whether it's love or material needs."

"We'd be delighted for you to be Harry's grandfather." Reggie grinned.

"Harry?" Harry asked in shock.

"Reggie was transfixed on it." Vanessa laughed. "I never realised quite how important you were to him but I agreed. He's to be named after you."

Harry grinned at them. "I'm honoured."

"Just look after him if we can't." Reggie told him.

"Of course." Harry nodded. "I can't wait to meet him."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**Two days later**

Harry lifted his head as Luke walked into the room from where he'd been checking on Nathan. It was the middle of the night but Harry had called him because Alex was ready to wake up. Luke stripped off his shirt and trousers and slid into the bed behind Harry so that Alex didn't freak out at finding a nearly naked Luke with him even though Luke had been holding him for much of the last couple of days.

Harry leaned over Alex and kissed him on the temple, pulling out his command that kept him asleep. Alex started awake and Harry merely laid back down and pulled him into his chest. Alex didn't fight him and rolled up to his side, burying himself in his chest. They laid like that for almost an hour without any of them moving or saying a word before Alex looked up and found Luke watching him quietly. Alex shifted and fell between Harry and Luke and snuggled into Harry's side and then reached back and pulled Luke's arm over him. Luke accepted his request and spooned behind him.

"Harry?" Alex whispered. "My tongue feels dry."

"You're thirsty." Harry told him. "You just don't know what for because there isn't any here."

"I can smell Nathan." Alex whispered again. "He smells..."

"Good." Luke finished for him and Alex relaxed knowing that he wasn't being blamed for thinking that Luke's kid brother smelt good. "Do you want me to go find you a meal, Alex?" Luke asked and lifted his head to look at Harry for his thoughts.

"Can I last till tomorrow?" Alex asked Harry.

Harry stroked his face. "You comfy?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Alex smiled back and ran a hand down Harry's chest. "I don't want to get up."

"You'll be fine until tomorrow." Harry told him and leaned over and gently kissed his forehead. "Enjoy the warmth, Alex. Neither of us minds."

"It's odd but I don't even feel embarrassed for wanting to feel you both with me." Alex told him.

"I don't mind, Alex." Luke told him. "You're always welcome here. Besides, you feel good against me."

Alex grinned at that and pulled Luke's arm around him tighter. Harry turned and pulled Alex into him. "Now you know why I was always happy for you to come into bed with me." Harry told him.

"God, you feel so..." Alex paused. "Alive. There. Warm."

"It's good isn't it." Luke whispered into his ear. "Harry doesn't remember what it's like to feel as a human but I do. This is so much more. Every part of you comes alive just feeling another's warmth."

"But you don't feel embarrassed about it." Alex agreed.

"If you want to explore it then go ahead, Alex." Harry told him. "We won't stop you."

Alex looked up at him before leaning over and kissing Harry on his jaw. He set his head down on Harry's shoulders and in the darkened room he pulled the blanket off of Harry's almost naked form and shifted his fingers over his skin, starting with the dip of his sternum he ran his fingers around Harry's right pectoral before being daring and tracing his finger around Harry's right nipple. Harry didn't react in case Alex freaked out and kept his breathing even, letting his chest rise and fall under Alex's exploring fingers, letting Alex feel his muscles and ribs move.

Alex explored Harry's body for an hour and after realising that Harry was comfortable with it he pushed Harry's boxers down and tentatively explored his hips and even his genitals. Harry let him and not once commented on Alex's exploration. When Alex pulled away Harry didn't pull his boxers back up but instead pushed them off completely and pulled the blanket over himself instead.

"I feel..." Alex started. "Comfortable? Pleased?"

"You're with your Sire." Luke told him. "You feel safe so your body is happy."

"And with you." Alex told him. "Could I..."

Luke chuckled and laid back and shifted the blanket off of him. Alex rolled over as Luke pulled off his boxers. Harry rolled with Alex and spooned behind him and pressed his face into the back of his neck. Luke wasn't as good at hiding his reactions and Harry let himself fall to sleep to the sounds of Alex and Luke talking about the differences between their new bodies and their old ones and the little gasps that Luke gave whenever Alex found a particularly sensitive spot.

Harry fell asleep with a smile on his lips.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

**A few days later**

Harry looked at the holographic display of his little fleet of ships. The four PESs sat in a loose formation with the _Plaides _at the head, _Zeus_ and _Achilles_ on its wings and the _Icarus_ directly astern, behind the other two. The _Prism_ was above them relatively but that meant that the _Prism_ was 'upside' down with the top hull towards the planet 'above' them. Two tug-ships were slowing ahead of them, clamped onto the upper hulls of two sleek looking cargo ships. They looked a little like manta-rays from earth except not as flat nor as wide. A central section ran down the centre of the ship from a bridge up forward down to the propulsion aft and accommodation in the middle. Below that and out to either side was the cargo bays, one large one across the back and then four further forwards and Harry knew they had the capacity for as much weaponry as the _Prism_ had. Already they had four automated defence turrets, two on the upper hull and two on the lower, one of either side of the centre line for full-sphere protection.

The _Prism_ flagged two inbound ships and green-circled them as friendly vessels and relayed that to the PESs whose systems were full automatic and 'follow the leader' to the _Prism_ since they were completely unmanned now.

"_Prism, this is the Eclipse, inbound. Give us a station."_ Reggie's voice came through the communications system. Alex jumped into the co-pilot seat a little too eagerly, overused his muscles and smacked his knee into the console.

Luke and Harry laughed at his abashed look but Harry just gave his seat to Luke and stood behind Alex and hugged him around the neck and kissed the back of his head. "Eclipse, take station on our starboard wing. All set?"

"_Roger, Prism, we're all set to depart."_ Reggie told him.

"_Prism, this is Tug One, where do you want these?"_ A voice asked, sounding rather nervous. They knew who they were talking to.

"Tug One and Two, I'm opening a cargo bay on the lead PES." Harry told them as Luke sent the order to the _Plaides_. A door began opening on the upper hull of the massive ship and the Tugs turned with their tows.

"_Prism, this is Serenity."_ Malcolm's voice took his turn. _"Where you want us?"_

"Take up position on my port wing." Harry told him. "Come over on a pod if you want."

"_Roger, we'll come over when we're underway."_ Malcolm told him. _"Sweet ships there."_

Harry laughed as Alex looked up at him pleadingly. He nodded. Alex spoke up instead of Harry. "Which one you want?" Alex asked in amusement.

"_Uh... what?"_ Malcolm's frown was evident.

"One of those is for you and your crew, Malcolm." Harry laughed.

There was a moment's silence before Zoe's voice reached them. _"Sorry, Harry. Malcolm's feeling a little lightheaded. He's sitting down now to recover."_

Harry, Luke and Alex burst into laughter as Harry ordered the cargo bay locked down as the tug-ships pulled away from them with a brief farewell. Harry punched off a deep space message he'd previously recorded basically telling the entire cluster that he was vanishing and that the future of humanity was in their own hands. Screw it up and suffer but learn to live together or he'd be back and neither side would be happy with the result. That was basically what he put across.

Alex punched in the order to the PESs with a flair as Luke activated their own gravity drive and the seven ships shot off into deep space. Luke and Alex set things on autopilot and stood up to head down to greet the other crew when they arrive. Luke caught Harry and pulled him into his chest and hugged him and a moment later they broke apart and pulled Alex between them, his front turned to Harry and hugged each other. Harry was happy, he had a future to look forward to again. One where he wouldn't be alone.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The End


End file.
